Experiment and prediction of enhanced gas storage capacity in depleted gas reservoirs for clean energy applications

Abstract

Utilizing depleted gas reservoirs for gas storage is the most efficient method. However, the impact of multi-cycle injection-production and water invasion on rock properties and gas-water seepage dynamics remains unclear. This study investigates such reservoirs' multi-cycle stress sensitivity and gas-water displacement behavior. Results show that multi-cycle injection-production and water invasion increase the stress sensitivity of the gas and damage gas storage space and seepage channels. This study also proposed a new unsteady gas-water relative permeability testing method and a prediction model based on in-situ X-ray CT scanning, improving measurement accuracy by 30 %. The results found that the gas's relative permeability is directly proportional to the injection rate and inversely proportional to the initial gas saturation. A gas-water relative permeability model was established, demonstrating that gas-water interference intensifies as the number of cycles increases. In a gas-water transition zone in depleted gas reservoirs, gas relative permeability damage reaches 81 %, reducing the movable pore space and impacting injection-production rates and capacity. This study offers valuable recommendations for optimizing production and dynamic prediction in depleted gas reservoirs, contributing to clean energy applications.