Simulation of CO2 injection into a Baltic Sea saline aquifer and seismic monitoring of the plume

Abstract

TOUGH2/ECO2N was used to simulate CO2 injection into a saline aquifer in the Baltic Sea and the effect of different amounts of CO2 injection on the seismic response. The Biot-Gassmann model was used to convert the simulated saturation and densities to seismic velocities and synthetic seismic responses before and after injection were compared. The results show that the amplitude changes in the seismic response are detectable even for small amounts of injected CO2, while noticeable signs of velocity pushdown, as a signature of the CO2 substitution, could only be observed if the injection rate is high enough. © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.