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Oilfield chemistry

Alkaline Earth Metals Enhance CO₂ Mineralization in Saline Aquifers

This study aims to investigate the efficacy of chemical additives strontium chloride and barium hydroxide in accelerating CO₂ trapping mechanisms, their effect on dissolution of carbonate-bearing minerals, and resulting poroelastic changes in the host rock.

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September 1, 2026
Journal of Petroleum Technology
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Fig. 1—SEM/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy image of internal pore structure of limestone sample after treatment with carbonated brine and additives showing FeCO3 precipitation.
Fig. 1—SEM/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy image of internal pore structure of limestone sample after treatment with carbonated brine and additives showing FeCO3 precipitation.
Source: SPE 225534.

Subsurface saline aquifer formations have emerged as a promising natural sink for mineral CO2 storage. However, a disconnect exists between the speed and permanence of the different trapping mechanisms that come into play when CO2 is injected into subsurface formations. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of chemical additives strontium chloride (SrCl2) and barium hydroxide (Ba(OH)2) in accelerating the two slowest CO2 trapping mechanisms, dissolution and mineralization; the chemicals’ effect on the dissolution of the carbonate-bearing minerals; and the changes in poroelastic properties of the host rock.

Methodology

Reactants. CO2 gas with a purity of 99.99% was used as the nonaqueous fluid phase in the experiment. Three 12-in.

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