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Viability of Large-scale Hydrogen Storage in Natural Porous Formations

Simulated hydrogen injection into a hypothetical depleted natural gas reservoir. Colored portions of the image are the porous formation. Warmer colors indicate more hydrogen in a mixture of hydrogen and natural gas. The lower part of the geological structure is filled with brine and the dashed line shows the location of free water. Image credit: Okoroafor, R. E., S. D. Saltzer, and A. R. Kovscek. “Toward Underground Hydrogen Storage in Porous Media: Reservoir Engineering Insights“ International Journal of Hydrogen Energy (2022)..

Scientific Challenge

Injection and withdrawal of hydrogen (H2) in the subsurface provides a pathway for storage of TWh quantities of renewable energy. Because the viscosity, density, diffusivity, and reactivity of H2 differ from other fluids, the physics and chemistry of H2 in the subsurface are little explored. In fact, preliminary analysis shows that H2 lies outside the parameter space of previous study.

Significance and Impact

A quantitative understanding of the (dis)similarities between the physical and chemical behavior of H2 underground and that of carbon dioxide and natural gas is critical to assess feasibility, guide design, optimize site selection, and to achieve the energy storage target necessary to transition to a net-zero emission economy.

Project Goals

Overall, this project is aimed at laying the underpinnings to achieve reliable, large-scale, predictable, high purity H2 storage in porous media. With this seed grant funding, we are pursuing the following engineering-science goals.

    • Advance quantitative understanding of relevant chemical processes in storage formations thereby improving conceptual and numerical modeling such that round-trip efficiency of storage is maximized.
    • Develop high-resolution transport simulation tools to model the complex interwoven chemophysical processes taking place in storage formations.
    • Delineate the salient differences between H2 and CH4 transport and physical and chemical interaction with porous media that need to be taken into account when planning hydrogen storage.

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Ilenia Battiato, Tony Kovscek, Hamdi Tchelepi, Energy Resources Engineering;

Kate Maher, Earth System Science; Ali Mani, Mechanical Engineering