Enhanced CO2 Storage and Sequestration in Deep Saline Aquifers by Nanoparticles: Commingled Disposal of Depleted Uranium and CO2

Geological storage of anthropogenic CO2 emissions in deep saline aquifers has recently received tremendous attention in the scientific literature. Injected buoyant CO2 accumulates at the top part of the aquifer under a sealing cap rock. Potential buoyant movement of CO2 has caused some concern that the high-pressure CO2 could breach the seal rock. However, CO2 will diffuse into the brine underneath and generate a slightly denser fluid that may induce instability and convective mixing. Onset times of instability and convective mixing performance depend on the physical properties of the rock and fluids, such as permeability and density contrast. We present the novel idea of adding nanoparticles (NPs) to injected CO2 to increase density contrast between the CO2-rich brine and the underlying resident brine and, consequently, decrease onset time of instability and increase convective mixing. The analyses show that 0.001 volume fraction of NPs added to the CO2 stream shortens onset time of mixing by approximately 80% and increases convective mixing by 50%. If it thus originally takes 5 years for the overlying CO2 to start convective mixing, by adding NPs, onset time of mixing reduces to 1 year, and after initiation of convective mixing, mixing improves by 50%. A reduction of the CO2 leakage risk ensues. In addition to other metallic NPs, use of processed depleted uranium oxide (DU) as the NPs is also proposed. DU-NPs are potentially stable and might be safely commingled with CO2 to store in saline aquifers.