In situ contact angle measurements of liquid CO2, brine, and Mount Simon sandstone core using micro X-ray CT imaging, sessile drop, and Lattice Boltzmann modeling

Three techniques to measure and understand the contact angle, θ, of a CO2/brine/rock system relevant to geologic carbon storage were performed with Mount Simon sandstone. Traditional sessile drop measurements of CO2/brine on the sample were conducted and a water-wet system was observed, as is expected. A novel series of measurements inside of a Mount Simon core, using a micro X-ray computed tomography imaging system with the ability to scan samples at elevated pressures, was used to examine the θ of residual bubbles of CO2. Within the sandstone core the matrix appeared to be neutrally wetting, with an average θ around 90°. A large standard deviation of θ (20.8°) within the core was also observed. To resolve this discrepancy between experimental measurements, a series of Lattice Boltzmann model simulations were performed with differing intrinsic θ values. The model results with a θ=80° were shown to match the core measurements closely, in both magnitude and variation. The small volume and complex geometry of the pore spaces that CO2 was trapped in is the most likely explanation of this discrepancy between measured values, though further work is warranted.