Carbon capture, utilization, and storage: A comprehensive review of CCUS-EOR
image:
CCUS-EOR technology schematic diagram.
view moreCredit: Zhenhua Rui, Tingting Liu, Xin Wen, Siwei Meng, Yang Li, Birol Dindoruk
A recent study published in Engineering offers a comprehensive review of the synergistic impact of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) coupled with Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) technologies. The research, led by Zhenhua Rui from the China University of Petroleum (Beijing), delves into the key factors influencing the efficiency of CO2-EOR and geological storage, proposing a novel coupled two-stage CCUS-EOR process to optimize the dual objectives of enhanced oil production and carbon reduction.
The study highlights that CCUS-EOR represents a critical technological pathway for global carbon emission reduction, contributing to 77% of the world’s total carbon capture. CCUS-EOR projects worldwide have cumulatively sequestered over 400 million tons of CO2, equivalent to offsetting the annual emissions of 100 million gasoline-powered vehicles. The technology not only enhances the economic value of low-productivity oilfields but also extends the lifespan of oil reservoirs, offering significant socio-economic benefits.
The research systematically describes the key influencing factors governing CO2-EOR and geological storage, including reservoir properties, fluid characteristics, and operational parameters. The study proposes a two-stage CCUS-EOR process: the CO2-EOR storage stage and the long-term CO2 storage stage after the CO2 injection phase is completed. In each stage, the main control factors impacting the CO2-EOR and storage stages are screened and coupled with rigorous technical analysis.
Reservoir properties such as permeability and porosity significantly affect the flow dynamics and storage capacity. The study finds that while higher permeability and porosity can improve oil recovery and CO2 storage capacity, excessive heterogeneity can lead to CO2 channeling, reducing oil recovery and increasing leakage risks. The research also highlights the importance of reservoir temperature and pressure, which significantly impact the performance of CCUS-EOR processes due to their effects on miscibility and trapping mechanisms.
Fluid characteristics, including crude oil and formation water, also play a crucial role in the efficiency of CO2-EOR and storage. The study notes that the viscosity and density of crude oil are key factors influencing the efficiency of CO2 flooding and storage. Additionally, the solubility of CO2 in formation water directly affects the storage capacity related to CO2 dissolution, with low salinity being conducive to higher CO2 solubility.
Operational factors such as injection and production rates, injection pressure, and injection modes are also critical. The study suggests that optimizing these parameters can significantly enhance the efficiency of CO2-EOR and storage. For instance, higher injection rates can improve oil recovery but may lead to gas channeling in heterogeneous reservoirs. Injection pressure, which affects the reservoir pressure distribution and CO2 phase, is another key factor. The study recommends maintaining injection pressure below the caprock fracture pressure to prevent leakage.
The research concludes by proposing a comprehensive synergistic method for the entire lifecycle of CCUS-EOR, including a multi-scale techno-economic evaluation method to fully assess the project performance. The study also highlights the need for further research on the impact of reservoir mineral properties on CCUS-EOR, focusing on quantifying the contributions of different mineral components to CO2 mineral trapping.
This comprehensive review provides valuable insights into the mechanisms and parameters affecting the performance of CCUS-EOR projects, offering guidance for the optimization of these technologies to achieve dual socio-economic and environmental benefits.
The paper “Investigating the Synergistic Impact of CCUS-EOR,” is authored by Zhenhua Rui, Tingting Liu, Xin Wen, Siwei Meng, Yang Li, Birol Dindoruk. Full text of the open access paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2025.04.005. For more information about Engineering, visit the website at https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/engineering.
Journal
Engineering
Article Title
Investigating the Synergistic Impact of CCUS-EOR
New high-temperature stable dispersed particle gel for enhanced profile control in CCUS applications
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(a) schematic showing the gelation process; (b) skeletal formulae of the chemicals used; (c) structure of PAAm/SA-Gel; (d) digital image of the PAAm/SA-Gel sample before the crosslinking of SA chains; (e) digital image of the PAAm/SA-Gel sample after the crosslinking of SA chains.
view moreCredit: Lin Du, Yao-Yu Xiao, Zhi-Chao Jiang, Hongbo Zeng, Huazhou Li
A novel dispersed particle gel (DPG) suspension has been developed by researchers from Chengdu University of Technology and University of Alberta, offering enhanced profile control in high-temperature carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) applications. The study, published in Engineering, details the creation of a DPG suspension that exhibits significant improvements in thermal stability and plugging efficiency compared to traditional CO2-responsive gels.
CCUS is a crucial strategy for mitigating climate change by capturing CO2 from industrial sources and injecting it into geological formations such as saline aquifers and oil reservoirs. However, the effectiveness of CO2 injection can be compromised by early breakthrough and fingering through high-permeability channels in reservoirs. Profile control, which involves injecting plugging agents to block these channels, is a key method to enhance both oil recovery and CO2 storage efficiency. Traditional CO2-responsive gels, while effective at ambient temperatures, suffer from reversible swelling and thermal degradation at elevated temperatures, limiting their applicability in high-temperature CCUS operations.
To address these limitations, the researchers synthesized a double-network hydrogel composed of crosslinked polyacrylamide (PAAm) and sodium alginate (SA) networks. This hydrogel was then sheared in water to form a pre-prepared DPG suspension. The innovation lies in the modification of these gel particles using potassium methylsilanetriolate (PMS) and CO2 exposure, which results in significant and irreversible swelling of the particles. The modified DPG suspension, coded as PAAm/SA-PMS2/SA3-mDPG, demonstrated particle sizes over twice their original dimensions and maintained this size even after exposure to 100 °C for 24 hours.
Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the modified DPG particles exhibited improved thermal stability, with a higher decomposition onset temperature and reduced mass loss compared to the unmodified particles. Core flooding experiments further validated the enhanced performance of the new DPG suspension, achieving a plugging efficiency of 95.3% in ultra-high permeability sandpacks, significantly higher than the 82.8% efficiency of the unmodified DPG suspension.
The study’s findings highlight the potential of the newly developed DPG suspension for effective profile control in high-temperature CCUS applications. The irreversible swelling and enhanced thermal stability of the modified gel particles make them a promising solution for improving the efficiency of CO2 injection and storage in challenging reservoir conditions. Future research may focus on optimizing the formulation and exploring the long-term performance of the DPG suspension in field-scale operations.
The paper “High-Temperature Stable Dispersed Particle Gel for Enhanced Profile Control in Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) Applications,” is authored by Lin Du, Yao-Yu Xiao, Zhi-Chao Jiang, Hongbo Zeng, Huazhou Li. Full text of the open access paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2025.04.002. For more information about Engineering, visit the website at https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/engineering.
Journal
Engineering
Article Title
High-Temperature Stable Dispersed Particle Gel for Enhanced Profile Control in Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) Applications
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