Aquifer storage technology for \(\textrm{CO}_2\) plays a crucial role in achieving carbon emission reduction. Upon injecting \(\textrm{CO}_2\) into the saline layer, the complex interaction among \(\textrm{CO}_2\) , saltwater, and rock initiates a seepage process characterized by multiphase fluid flow. This study quantitatively analyzed the impact of injection flow rate and permeability on principles governing \(\textrm{CO}_2\) migration in isotropic and anisotropic reservoirs. The findings indicated that in isotropic reservoirs with a permeability of \(3\times 10^{-15} \) m \(^{2}\) , \(\textrm{CO}_2\) penetrated the cap rock’s top by the 60th year at an injection flow rate \(q \ge 0.1\) kg/s. As the injection flow rate rose from 0.01 to 0.2 kg/s, the maximum horizontal penetration distance increased by 2.43 times and maximum vertical penetration distance by 1.102 times. The injection flow rate significantly influences the horizontal permeability distance but has a less impact on the vertical permeability distance. Lower permeabilities lead to slower but more persistent \(\textrm{CO}_2\) migration, resulting in higher saturation at the monitoring point and longer vertical penetration distances. In anisotropic reservoirs, when the ratio of horizontal-to-vertical permeability of the reservoir was expanded from 1 to 100, at an injection flow rate \(q = 0.02\) kg/s, the maximum horizontal penetration distance was increased by 2.125 times. The comprehensive data analysis in this paper will provide important data support and guidance for the application of \(\textrm{CO}_2\) storage technology.
