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Intermediate-Scale Laboratory Investigation of Stray Gas Migration Impacts: Methane Source Architecture and
Cole J C Van De Ven1, Kevin G Mumford1
1Queen's University, Department of Civil Engineering, Kingston, Ontario Canada, K7L 3N6.
Environmental Science & Technology
|April 29, 2020
Summary
Laboratory experiments show that geological heterogeneity and active methane leakage impact gas migration and dissolution in groundwater. Understanding these factors is crucial for predicting environmental risks from hydrocarbon extraction.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Geosciences
- Hydrogeology
Background:
- Stray gas migration from hydrocarbon extraction poses environmental risks.
- Subsurface gas migration into groundwater and atmosphere requires careful study.
- Quantifying gas migration in the field is complex due to subsurface system variability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate methane migration and mass transfer in controlled laboratory settings.
- To understand the influence of geological heterogeneity and leakage dynamics on gas migration.
- To provide data for field and modeling efforts on stray gas migration.
Main Methods:
- Methane injection into a 2D flow cell with homogeneous or heterogeneous sands.
- Controlled experiments simulating active versus stopped methane leakage.
- High-resolution visualization and high-frequency water sampling for data collection.
Main Results:
- Methane dissolution is significantly affected by subsurface heterogeneity.
- Active versus inactive leakage dynamics influence methane migration and persistence.
- Multicomponent mass transfer prolongs the presence of both free- and dissolved-phase methane.
Conclusions:
- Geological conditions and active leakage are critical factors in gas migration.
- Multicomponent mass transfer plays a key role in the longevity of subsurface methane.
- Field-scale gas migration assessments must incorporate these hydrogeologic and geological complexities.
