Impact of Chemical and Mechanical Processes on Leakage from Damaged Wells in CO₂ Storage Sites

The perceived risk of CO2 leakage through wells has been considered a potential limitation to commercial scale deployment of geologic CO2 storage. However, chemical and mechanical alteration of cement can reduce the permeability of leakage pathways. We conducted 100s of simulations spanning realistic operating conditions and well-damage characteristics to understand (1) under what conditions and time frames do fractures seal and (2) for...