Assurance of wellbore integrity in the context of geological CO₂ utilization and storage
Abstract
Wellbore integrity is a critical prerequisite for the safe and long‑term performance of geological CO₂ utilization and storage projects. The wellbore system‑ comprising tubing, packers, subsurface safety valves, casing, cement sheath, and their interfaces‑ acts as the key engineered barrier preventing upward CO₂ and brine migration from the storage reservoir to overlying aquifers and the atmosphere. This editorial discusses the two core factors threatening wellbore integrity in CO₂‑rich downhole environments: chemical corrosion and mechanical failure. Key research questions and challenges related to chemical corrosion and mechanical failure are discussed. Finally, future research directions to ensure the maintenance of wellbore integrity are identified, including reliable tools for long‑term wellbore durability prediction under coupled thermo‑hydro‑mechanical‑chemical conditions, the development of self‑healing tubing, casing and cement materials, and the standardization of well integrity evaluation and monitoring protocols.
Document Type: Editorial
Cited as: Zhang, L., Xiang, Y., Yan, W., Zhang, C. Assurance of wellbore integrity in the context of geological CO₂ utilization and storage. Advances in Geo‑Energy Research, 2026, 21(1): 95‑97. https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2026.07.09
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2026.07.09Keywords:
Well integrity, geological CO₂ storage, CO₂ corrosion, casing, wellbore cementReferences
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Copyright (c) 2026 Liwei Zhang, Yong Xiang, Wei Yan, Chi Zhang
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.