Assessing the geomechanical modelling of underground reservoir for CO₂ storage trapping mechanisms

Authors

Bonavian Hasiholan, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Technology & Built Environment, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Cheras, MalaysiaFollow
Mohammed Ali Farea, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Technology & Built Environment, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Cheras, MalaysiaFollow
Elhassan Mostafa Abdallah, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Technology & Built Environment, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Cheras, MalaysiaFollow
Sami Abdelrahman M. Yagoub, Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Built Environment, UCSI University, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaFollow
Yasir Mukhtar, College of Safety and Ocean Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, ChinaFollow

Abstract

Effective carbon dioxide (CO₂) storage is essential for mitigating climate change amid increasing global greenhouse gas emissions. This study investigates the influence of geomechanics on CO₂ storage performance within carbon capture and storage (CCS), focusing on structural, residual, and solubility trapping mechanisms using a fully coupled modeling framework. Two numerical models, with and without geomechanical effects, are developed to evaluate impacts on reservoir behavior, CO₂ migration, and trapping efficiency. Each mechanism is analyzed separately and within an integrated framework to assess their combined contributions. Results indicate that geomechanical coupling increases reservoir pressure, reduces CO₂ flow velocity, enhances migration control, and produces slightly higher relative permeability with a slower temporal decline. After 500 years, residual trapping accounts for 46.63% of stored CO₂ with geomechanics compared to 49.39% without, while solubility trapping contributes 18.20% and 18.28%, respectively. Structural trapping represents 35.17% of mobile CO₂ with geomechanics versus 32.33% without. Residual trapping remains the dominant mechanism in both scenarios. Overall, the findings highlight the important role of geomechanics in controlling reservoir properties, CO₂ migration, and long-term storage security, supporting its inclusion in CCS design to optimize storage efficiency and reliability.

Recommended Citation

Hasiholan, Bonavian; Farea, Mohammed Ali; Abdallah, Elhassan Mostafa; Yagoub, Sami Abdelrahman M.; and Mukhtar, Yasir (2025) "Assessing the geomechanical modelling of underground reservoir for CO₂ storage trapping mechanisms," Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Simulation with Applications: Vol. 5: Iss. 4, Article 7.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53391/2791-8564.1015
Available at: https://mmnsa.researchcommons.org/journal/vol5/iss4/7