How Can We Ensure the Integrity of Carbon Injection Wells for Decades to Come?

Assessing a subsea carbon storage project

During the design phase of a carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, our client wanted to mitigate potential risks associated with high flow rates, two-phase flow, and low temperatures in their injection well tubing. They turned to Ģ��tv to review their design and evaluate specific risks to both the immediate and long-term integrity of their injection well, including erosion, vibration, fracture, and fatigue.

The Challenge

Carbon sequestration offers a promising method of reducing atmospheric carbon to slow global climate change. The proper design and function of carbon injection wells — used to store carbon dioxide underground — is central to this endeavor. Subsea carbon sequestration is a relatively new technology. How do you assess risk for a project with little historical data to fall back on?

EXPONENT's Multidisciplinary Solution

Teams of Ģ��tv engineers evaluated tubing particulate erosion due to entrained sand and fines; examined stress, fracture, and fatigue of the injection tubing; and studied flow-induced tubing vibration.

Ģ��tv engineers used empirical correlations — simplified physical models of erosion supported by experiments — to assess erosion of the injection tubing due to solid particulates. Based on their assessment, tubing wall thickness loss rates were predicted under various early-life and late-life injection scenarios.
The team started with an analysis to predict mechanical loads on the injection tubing, giving specific consideration to ensure the load sequencing was consistent with planned operations. This analysis in combination with industry standards were used to evaluate risks associated with fracture and fatigue.
Employing industry guidelines and empirical correlations to assess single-phase and two-phase vibration, our engineers identified a gap in industry knowledge relative to vibration risk in uncemented well tubing and recommended further assessment.

Ģ��tv's Impact

Through the analyses described above, Ģ��tv helped our client identify key risks to their design, priorities for mitigation, and areas that require further investigation. Critically, our investigation into the integrity of our client's injection well revealed a gap in industry knowledge relative to how vibration could impact the integrity of the well over time, resulting in the need for further analysis. Ģ��tv's work in this area is supporting the development of carbon sequestration as a viable technology for addressing climate change.

Capabilities

What Can We Help You Solve?

Ģ��tv's multidisciplinary pipeline experts — including metallurgists, geologists, and materials, corrosion, mechanical, and thermal specialists — partner with pipeline operators to understand integrity management assessment methods, limitations, and the overall process for optimizing asset safety.

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