Geophysical monitoring of CO2 flow during sandstone flooding experiments

In this study, liquid CO2 is injected into fully brine saturated reservoir core samples in the laboratory, and consequently changes in electrical resistivity, acoustic velocities (ultrasonic frequency) and their anisotropy are measured. To enhance the spatial resolution, a system enabling velocity and resistivity measurements at different points and in different directions along the specimen's axial direction has been developed. Electrical resistivity and acoustic velocity and amplitude are all clearly influenced by pore-scale heterogeneity and fluid flow pattern and it is important to study this interaction. So far, focus has been related to CO2 geological storage, but the outline of the study is believed to also be applicable for CO2 injection for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The study is still ongoing and some preliminary results are presented here and discussed.