Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Systems Engineering

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) injection into subsea or low-temperature water zones has emerged as a promising strategy for long-term, non-leaking CO₂ storage through the formation of solid hydrates. This research investigates CO₂ injection into Berea sandstone cores saturated with water under simulated subsea conditions, focusing on hydrate formation behavior across varying temperatures, pressures, and injection flow rates. Experimental results demonstrate that CO₂ hydrate formation under dynamic (flowing) conditions occurs at significantly higher pressure compared to static conditions reported previously. At temperatures ranging from 0 °C to 5 °C, dynamic hydrate formation pressures were observed to be approximately double. This can be explained by the flow-induced shear effects, which suppress hydrate nucleation and disrupt hydrate film growth, consequently delaying bulk hydrate formation and necessitating higher pressures. Temperature was found to exert a stronger influence on hydrate formation pressure than injection flow rate, although flow rate effects became more pronounced in saline water-saturated cores due to slower hydrate kinetics. Test results with brine saturated core reveal that salinity increases the hydrate formation pressure by 15-27%. Salt ion interference with water molecules resulting in a delay in nucleation might be the cause of this elevated pressure. Permeability comparison also shows a 78-82% reduction in the core samples following CO2 injection. This alteration is attributed to CO₂ dissolution–induced fines generation, clay swelling, and pore plugging, as evidenced by visible surface cracks and channels observed on the tested core samples after testing. All these findings underscore the potential of secure CO2 storage, but issues related to well injectivity, salinity effects, and permeability alteration must be carefully optimized for injection design.

Date

2-6-2026

DOI

https://proquest.com/docview/3347938646

First Committee Chair

Boyun Guo

First Committee Member

Fathi Boukadi

Second Committee Member

Jim Lee

Third Committee Member

Ning Liu

Fourth Committee Member

Yin Feng

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