Hydro-mechanical influence of sub-seismic blind faults on integrity of CO2 geological storage in deep saline aquifer

The simulation scenarios aimed for a continuous CO2 injection at a rate of 0.8 Mtpa during 30 years. When assuming the fault does not modify the formation flow and mechanical parameters, very little upward migration of CO2 is computed outside of the storage aquifer. This is not the case when the fault modifies the formation flow and mechanical parameters. In the latter case, the CO2 migrates up to the control aquifer preferably through the fault damage zones rather than through the fault core due to the parameter selection. In both cases, the pressure increase due to CO2 injection in the storage aquifer is small which imply small changes in effective stresses and negligible induced ground deformations. Most of the stress changes are limited to the vicinity of the fault and injection well.