Modeling carbon sequestration geochemical reactions for a proposed site in Springfield, Missouri

We evaluated the geochemical transformations that would likely occur after injecting CO2 into a sandstone formation using The Geochemist's Workbench, with the intent of simulating CO2 solution and mineral storage mechanisms. We used a hypothetical reservoir intended to closely resemble the Lamotte Sandstone in southwest Missouri, a reservoir rock found at about 600-m (1970-ft) depth, well above the recommended depth for CO2 sequestration of 800 m (2625 ft). In the absence of specific water chemistry and lithology data for this formation at the proposed injection site, the model considered two best estimates of each input parameter. Carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestered in the dissolved phase was found to range between 76.74 and 76.80 g/kg free water, and the pH dropped from 7.7 to 4.8 after a 10-yr injection period. During a 50-yr postinjection interval with no additional CO2(g) added, the model predicted the pH to rise from 4.8 to 5.3 and various minerals to precipitate, among them magnesite, nontronite-Mg, and gibbsite, as well as smaller amounts of siderite and dolomite. Magnesite, siderite, and dolomite contribute to removal of carbon. In general, the model is very flexible, allowing the user to incorporate variations in temperature, pressure, water chemistry, solid-phase mineralogy, and kinetics. Modeling steps are described here as well as the results, which are all based in 1 kg of free water. To determine the total sequestration potential, transport modeling is needed, in addition to the geochemical modeling presented here.