Dissolution Potential of SO2 Co-Injected with CO2 in Geologic Sequestration

Sulfur dioxide is a possible co-injectant with carbon dioxide in the context of geologic sequestration. Because of the potential of SO2 to acidify formation brines, the extent of SO2 dissolution from the CO2 phase will determine the viability of co-injection. Pressure-, temperature-, and salinity-adjusted values of the SO2 Henry's Law constant and fugacity coefficient were determined. They are predicted to decrease with depth, such that the solubility of SO2 is a factor of 0.04 smaller than would be predicted without these adjustments. To explore the potential effects of transport limitations, a nonsteady-state model of SO2 diffusion through a stationary cone-shaped plume of supercritical CO2 was developed. This model represents an end-member scenario of diffusion-controlled dissolution of SO2, to contrast with models of complete phase equilibrium. Simulations for conditions corresponding to storage depths of 0.8-2.4 km revealed that after 1000 years, 65-75% of the SO2 remains in the CO2 phase. This slow release of SO2 would largely mitigate its impact on brine pH. Furthermore, small amounts of SO2 are predicted to have a negligible effect on the critical point of CO2 but will increase phase density by as much as 12% for mixtures containing 5% SO2.