Measurement and modeling of CO2 solubility in NaCl brine and CO2–saturated NaCl brine density

Phase equilibrium for CO2–NaCl brine is of general interest to many scientific disciplines and technical areas. The system is particularly important to CO2 sequestration in deep saline aquifers and CO2 enhanced oil recovery, two techniques discussed intensively in recent years due to the concerns over climate change and energy security. This work is an experimental and modeling study of two fundamental properties in high pressure CO2–NaCl brine equilibrium, i.e., CO2 solubility in NaCl brine and CO2–saturated NaCl brine density. A literature review of the available data was presented first to illustrate the necessity of experimental measurements of the two properties at high pressures. An experimental method for measuring high pressure CO2 solubility in NaCl brine was then developed. With the method, CO2 solubilities in 0, 1, and 5 m NaCl brines were measured at 323, 373, and 413 K from 5 to 40 MPa. The corresponding density data at the same conditions were also measured. For solubility, two models used in the Eclipse simulator were tested: the correlations of Chang et al. and the Søreide and Whitson equation of state (EoS) model. The latter model was modified to improve its performance for high salinity brine. In the density modeling, the correlations of Chang et al., Garcia's correlation, and five different EoS models were tested. Among these models, Garcia's correlation and the ePC-SAFT EoS generally give satisfactory agreement with the experimental measurements. An analysis was also made to show that dissolution of CO2 increases the brine density only if the apparent mass density of CO2 in brine is higher than the brine density at the same conditions.

► CO2 solubility in NaCl brine and CO2–saturated NaCl brine density were measured at high pressure conditions.
► Two models in Eclipse for CO2 solubility were tested and the Søredie–Whitson model was improved.
► Garcia's correlation and several EoS models were used to model the experimental density change due to CO2 dissolution.
► An analysis has been made on how the brine density will change after CO2 dissolution.