The geological storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) in deep geological formations is considered internationally, as well as in Germany, to be one of the key technologies for achieving ambitious climate targets.
The geological storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) in deep geological formations is considered internationally, as well as in Germany, to be one of the key technologies for achieving ambitious climate targets. But how can potential storage sites be reliably assessed? And how dependable are computer simulations that must predict the behaviour of CO2 in the underground over decades or centuries? A large-scale international research initiative - the 11th Society of Petroleum Engineers Comparative Solution Project (SPE11 Benchmark for short), has systematically examined how differently modern simulation tools predict CO2 storage processes. Forty-five research and industry groups worldwide registered to take part, including a research team from the Institute of Geosciences at Kiel University (CAU).
The new study, recently published in the International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, provides one of the most extensive model comparisons conducted in recent years for CO2 storage simulations. The project provides a comprehensive open database containing more than 400 GB of freely accessible model data, interactive visualizations, and newly developed methods for systematically comparing complex simulation results. The findings offer valuable guidance for policymakers, permitting authorities who, and practitioners who assess future CO₂ storage projects.
New Evaluation Criteria for CO2 Storage
In geological CO2 storage, the gas is injected into porous rock layers at great depths, where a range of physical and chemical processes can immobilise it over long periods. To predict the effectiveness of these storage mechanisms, specialists rely on computer-based, process-oriented models. For the first time, under the leadership from University of Bergen (Norway), 45 institutions from11 nations, including leading scientific organizations from the United States, Australia, Germany, France, China, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands and the UK, have contributed their simulation results to a large coordinated study. This collaboration has produced an unparalleled collection of comparative datasets, insights, and methodological advances. “The submitted datasets were analysed in depth and their differences examined systematically. The outcome is a robust assessment of the numerical tools used to predict geological storage processes – an essential foundation for any safe and long-term CO2 storage,” explains Professor Sebastian Bauer, head of the Geohydromodelling working group at the Institute of Geosciences at Kiel University.
Read More: Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel
