Coupled hydro-thermal-mechanical analysis for cold CO2 injection into a deep saline aquifer

This study investigated the thermal effects of thermal stress and Joule-Thomson cooling on CO₂ migration in a deep saline aquifer through a hydro-thermal-mechanical model. Firstly, the temperature variation of injected CO₂ was analyzed through the coupling of two-phase flow, deformation of porous medium and heat transfer with Joule-Thomson effect. Then, the effect of capillary entry pressure on CO₂ plume was numerically investigated and compared. It is found that injection temperature and Joule-Thomson effect can significantly affect the distributions of CO₂ mass and temperature, particularly in the upper zone near the injection well. The reduction of capillary entry pressure accelerates the upward migration of CO₂ plume and increases the CO₂ lateral migration distance.