TY - GEN A1 - Tillner, Elena A1 - Langer, Maria A1 - Kempka, Thomas A1 - Kühn, Michael T1 - Fault damage zone volume and initial salinity distribution determine intensity of shallow aquifer salinisation in subsurface storage T2 - Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe N2 - Injection of fluids into deep saline aquifers causes a pore pressure increase in the storage formation, and thus displacement of resident brine. Via hydraulically conductive faults, brine may migrate upwards into shallower aquifers and lead to unwanted salinisation of potable groundwater resources. In the present study, we investigated different scenarios for a potential storage site in the Northeast German Basin using a three-dimensional (3-D) regional-scale model that includes four major fault zones. The focus was on assessing the impact of fault length and the effect of a secondary reservoir above the storage formation, as well as model boundary conditions and initial salinity distribution on the potential salinisation of shallow groundwater resources. We employed numerical simulations of brine injection as a representative fluid. Our simulation results demonstrate that the lateral model boundary settings and the effective fault damage zone volume have the greatest influence on pressure build-up and development within the reservoir, and thus intensity and duration of fluid flow through the faults. Higher vertical pressure gradients for short fault segments or a small effective fault damage zone volume result in the highest salinisation potential due to a larger vertical fault height affected by fluid displacement. Consequently, it has a strong impact on the degree of shallow aquifer salinisation, whether a gradient in salinity exists or the saltwater-freshwater interface lies below the fluid displacement depth in the faults. A small effective fault damage zone volume or low fault permeability further extend the duration of fluid flow, which can persist for several tens to hundreds of years, if the reservoir is laterally confined. Laterally open reservoir boundaries, large effective fault damage zone volumes and intermediate reservoirs significantly reduce vertical brine migration and the potential of freshwater salinisation because the origin depth of displaced brine is located only a few decametres below the shallow aquifer in maximum. The present study demonstrates that the existence of hydraulically conductive faults is not necessarily an exclusion criterion for potential injection sites, because salinisation of shallower aquifers strongly depends on initial salinity distribution, location of hydraulically conductive faults and their effective damage zone volumes as well as geological boundary conditions. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 548 KW - geological CO2 storage KW - brine migration KW - fluid-flow KW - pressure management KW - dynamic flow KW - permeability KW - sequestration KW - simulations KW - injection KW - leakage Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-411854 SN - 1866-8372 IS - 548 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tillner, Elena A1 - Langer, Maria A1 - Kempka, Thomas A1 - Kühn, Michael T1 - Fault damage zone volume and initial salinity distribution determine intensity of shallow aquifer salinisation in subsurface storage JF - Hydrology and earth system sciences : HESS N2 - Injection of fluids into deep saline aquifers causes a pore pressure increase in the storage formation, and thus displacement of resident brine. Via hydraulically conductive faults, brine may migrate upwards into shallower aquifers and lead to unwanted salinisation of potable groundwater resources. In the present study, we investigated different scenarios for a potential storage site in the Northeast German Basin using a three-dimensional (3-D) regional-scale model that includes four major fault zones. The focus was on assessing the impact of fault length and the effect of a secondary reservoir above the storage formation, as well as model boundary conditions and initial salinity distribution on the potential salinisation of shallow groundwater resources. We employed numerical simulations of brine injection as a representative fluid. Our simulation results demonstrate that the lateral model boundary settings and the effective fault damage zone volume have the greatest influence on pressure build-up and development within the reservoir, and thus intensity and duration of fluid flow through the faults. Higher vertical pressure gradients for short fault segments or a small effective fault damage zone volume result in the highest salinisation potential due to a larger vertical fault height affected by fluid displacement. Consequently, it has a strong impact on the degree of shallow aquifer salinisation, whether a gradient in salinity exists or the saltwater-freshwater interface lies below the fluid displacement depth in the faults. A small effective fault damage zone volume or low fault permeability further extend the duration of fluid flow, which can persist for several tens to hundreds of years, if the reservoir is laterally confined. Laterally open reservoir boundaries, large effective fault damage zone volumes and intermediate reservoirs significantly reduce vertical brine migration and the potential of freshwater salinisation because the origin depth of displaced brine is located only a few decametres below the shallow aquifer in maximum. The present study demonstrates that the existence of hydraulically conductive faults is not necessarily an exclusion criterion for potential injection sites, because salinisation of shallower aquifers strongly depends on initial salinity distribution, location of hydraulically conductive faults and their effective damage zone volumes as well as geological boundary conditions. Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-1049-2016 SN - 1027-5606 SN - 1607-7938 VL - 20 SP - 1049 EP - 1067 PB - Copernicus CY - Göttingen ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kühn, Michael A1 - Altmannsberger, Charlotte A1 - Hens, Carmen T1 - Waiweras WarmwasserreservoirWelche Aussagekraft haben Modelle? JF - Grundwasser : Zeitschrift der Fachsektion Hydrogeologie in der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Geowissenschaften (FH-DGG) N2 - The warm water geothermal reservoir below the village of Waiwera in New Zealand has been known by the native Maori for centuries. Development by the European immigrants began in 1863. Until the year 1969, the warm water flowing from all drilled wells was artesian. Due to overproduction, water up to 50 A degrees C now needs to be pumped to surface. Further, between 1975 and 1976, all warm water seeps on the beach of Waiwera ran dry. Within the context of sustainable water management, hydrogeological models must be developed as part of a management plan. Approaches of varying complexity have been set-up and applied since the 1980s. However, none of the models directly provide all results required for optimal water management. Answers are given simply to parts of the questions, nonetheless improving resource management of the geothermal reservoir. KW - Groundwater KW - Geothermal water KW - Seawater intrusion KW - Simulation KW - Reservoir KW - Management Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00767-016-0323-2 SN - 1430-483X SN - 1432-1165 VL - 21 SP - 107 EP - 117 PB - Springer CY - Heidelberg ER -