Gas-water-rock interactions and factors affecting gas storage capacity during natural gas storage in a low permeability aquifer

Gas-water-rock interactions during natural gas storage in a low permeability aquifer and main factors affecting the storage capacity were investigated in laboratory with core experiments. The results showed that gas injection flow rate had a major impact on stored gas volume and stored gas volume is higher at high flow rate. Gas storage volume ranged between 6%-20% of the pore space at experimental condition. Enhancing injection pressure can enhance gas storage volume. Statistics showed that injection flow rate had a greater influence on the gas storage volume than pressure. The retention time also had an impact on the gas storage process. Most of the natural gas was trapped in the reservoir and could not be produced after long time of retention. Atomic absorption spectroscopy indicated that ions concentrations of the brine and water evaporation increased when gas was injected into brine saturated core, and precipitation might occur, reducing porosity and permeability of core. Gas chromatography analysis showed that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the natural gas decreased and the concentration of methane increased after storage in the core.