Fluid flow and damage in two-phase media: theory and application to carbon sequestration

Carbon sequestration is a leading mitigation approach to reduce CO2 levels caused by fossil fuel consumption. The most stable sequestration strategy is geological sequestration, which injects CO2 into reservoir of mafic and ultramafic rocks underground to form stable carbonates. One challenge for this strategy would be the saturated mineral-fluid contact surfaces during reactions. Hydrofracturing might be the best mechanism or opening up new surfaces and increasing permeability to enhance fluid phase uptake and reactions. We investigate the basic physics of compaction with damage theory proposed by Bercovici et. al.[2001a, JGR] and present preliminary results of both steady-state and time-dependent transport when fluid migrates through porous medium. This work provides a framework for understanding the percolating fluid migration with a pore-generating damage front. The propagation velocity of porosity waves in two-phase media is strongly dependent on damage, which can theoretically transform dispersive waves into rapidly propagating shock waves and effectively creates new contact surfaces. Further development and expansion with necessary physical conditions, forcings and chemical reactions would help examine the viability of CO2 injection into subterranean formations.