Multiscale dynamics of reactive fronts in the subsurface

Understanding and predicting flow and reactive transport in rocks (i.e. geologic porous media) is critical to many technologies at the heart of the energy transition, including CO2 sequestration and H2 storage. However, accurate modeling and prediction of these systems is very complex because physico-chemical processes that occur at very small spatial scales, i.e. in the pores of the rocks, can dramatically control the system performance at the field scale (km). For example, precipitation reactions at the pore-scale can lead to large permeability changes at the field scale and dramatically alter the migration of stored gases. Properly accounting for multi-scale coupling effects is critical to achieve predictivity and confidence in model outputs, which then can guide design and optimization at the system-scale. This can be achieved through the development of rigorous mathematical models that can appropriately account for fine-scale effects at the large scale. The final report of the Early Career award DE-SC0019075 “Multiscale dynamics of reactive fronts in the subsurface” summarizes the mathematical, numerical and experimental advancements to study and predict reactive transport in geologic porous media across scales.. Authors: Battiato, Ilenia [Stanford University]. DOE Contract: SC0019075. Subjects: 58 GEOSCIENCES; 97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING; homogenization, reactive transport, rocks, porous media, upscaling, across-scale coupling