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A geological database for parameterization in numerical modeling of subsurface storage in northern Germany

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Abstract

Underground land use can play a significant role in future concepts of energy and gas storage and requires an improved understanding of the parameters of potential storage formations (saline aquifers), for instance of porosity and permeability, and also of mineralogical and gas compositions. This study aims at providing data examples and calculating vertical spatial variations through variogram analyses of important North German geological reservoirs from Dogger, Rhaetian, Middle Buntsandstein, and Rotliegend (Sub)Groups and Formations, focusing on the western part of the North German Basin. Vertical correlation lengths of porosity and permeability data range between 0 and 30 m, while most results are calculated at approximately 2–4 m and do not show relevant differences among the evaluated formations. In the majority of the regarded formations, the Kozeny–Carman relationship between porosity and permeability is supported as long as low porosity and permeability values are excluded from the evaluation. Mineral percentages varied significantly among the evaluated sediments. Besides quartz, ankerite is the main compound in the Dogger Group, while feldspars and clay minerals were more frequent in the Rhaetian, Middle Buntsandstein, and Rotliegend sediments. Methane was the main gas compound in the reservoirs, followed by nitrogen, ethane, and carbon dioxide. This study serves as preparatory work to allow for the parameterization of geological models and a subsequent simulation of fluid transport to evaluate (long-term) safety and impacts of geothermal and gas storage projects.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, E.ON Energie AG, E.ON Gas Storage AG, RWE Dea AG, Vattenfall Europe Technology Research GmbH, Wintershall Holding GmbH and Stadtwerke Kiel AG as part of the CO2-MoPa joint project in the framework of the Special Program GEOTECHNOLOGIEN. We especially thank Mr. Grundmeier from the “Wirtschaftsverband Erdöl-Erdgas (WEG)” and the ExxonMobil Production Germany GmbH for their cooperation and data supply. Special thanks also go to Dr. Brauner (LBEG Hannover) for his kind support with data transfers and organization and two anonymous reviewers focusing their recommendation on the regional geology and on the geostatistical evaluation, respectively.

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  1. Institute for Geosciences, Christian-Albrechts-University in Kiel, Ludewig-Meyn-Strasse 10, 24118, Kiel, Germany

    Frank Dethlefsen, Markus Ebert & Andreas Dahmke

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  1. Frank Dethlefsen
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Correspondence to Frank Dethlefsen.

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Dethlefsen, F., Ebert, M. & Dahmke, A. A geological database for parameterization in numerical modeling of subsurface storage in northern Germany. Environ Earth Sci 71, 2227–2244 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2627-1

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