This project will investigate the changes in the reservoir sandstone after several years of CO2 injection. The objective is to detect the mineralogical and geochemical changes induced as a result of "metasomatic" low-temperature hydrothermal overprint, as well as the changes in the pore spaces, pore volume and grain surfaces
These changes can be quantified because the Stuttgart Formation was systematically investigated before the start of the CO2 injection- mineralogically, chemically and physically- as part of the CO2SINK project. In other words, there is a modern database available for the unaffected reservoir. The investigation of the CO2-impregnated core material will provide a unique record that allows conclusions to be drawn about the long-term usefulness of similarly structured, real sedimentary aquifers for CO2 compression, and that provides a necessary reference for material transport simulations
The investigations include a broad spectrum of analytical procedures, such as optical microscopy, X-ray fluorescence analysis, ICP-MS/OES (inductively coupled plasma with mass spectrometer or optical emission spectrometer) X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectrometer, wavelength-dispersive electron probe microanalysis, laser-ablation ICP-MS, cathode luminescence and electron microscopy.
Subject area 3: sub-projects