Reservoir Characteristics and Regional Storage Potential Evaluation of Deep Well Injection and Storage of High-Salinity Water in Coal Mines in the Ordos Basin

Deep well injection and storage is an emerging technology for realizing the low-cost treatment of extremely large quantities of three types of waste in coal mines in China, while simultaneously supporting coordinated development that considers its impact on the ecological environment. There has been significant progress in research on the geological storage of carbon dioxide in China. However, the geological storage of fluids such as mine water and high-salinity water needs to be studied further. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the lithology, mineral composition, physical and mechanical characteristics, and spatial structure of the Liujiagou and Shiqianfeng formations in a mining area in the Ordos Basin, we determined the geological storage space for fluids, predicted the storage potential, and evaluated the feasibility of deep geological storage of high-salinity water in coal mines. In the study area, the Liujiagou Formation is dominated by fine sandstone and siltstone, while the Shiqianfeng Formation is dominated by medium sandstone and conglomerate. The main storage space comprises micro-cracks, as well as intergranular, dissolution, and intergranular pores. Among these, the intergranular pores are the most conducive to reservoir development. The burial depth intervals of 1820–1835 m, 1905–1920 m, and 2082–2098 m are favorable for storage and are characterized by high porosities, permeabilities, and storage capacities. The effective storage capacity within a 100 m radius of the storage well was estimated to be 33.15 × 104 m3. The effective storage capacity in the favorable area is 27.69 × 104 m3, accounting for 83.50% of the total storage capacity. The Liujiagou and Shiqianfeng formations thus can serve as favorable reservoirs for deep well injection and storage of high-salinity water in the Ordos Basin. This research provides new ideas for the treatment of high-salinity water in coal mines in the Ordos Basin and technical support for deep well injection and the storage of high-salinity water.