Pore-Scale Visualization of Hydrogen Storage in a Sandstone at Subsurface Pressure and Temperature Conditions: Trapping, Dissolution and Wettability

Pore-Scale Visualization of Hydrogen Storage in a Sandstone at Subsurface Pressure and Temperature Conditions: Trapping, Dissolution and Wettability

Jangda, Zaid (Heriot-Watt University)
Menke, Hannah (Heriot-Watt University)
Busch, Andreas (Heriot-Watt University)
Geiger, S. (TU Delft Applied Geology)
Bultreys, Tom (Universiteit Gent)
Lewis, Helen (Heriot-Watt University)
Singh, Kamaljit (Heriot-Watt University)

2022

Hypothesis

Underground hydrogen (H2) storage is a potentially viable solution for large-scale cyclic H2 storage; however, the behavior of H2 at subsurface pressure and temperature conditions is poorly known. This work investigates if the pore-scale displacement processes in H2-brine systems in a porous sandstone can be sufficiently well defined to enable effective and economic storage operations. In particular, this study investigates trapping, dissolution, and wettability of H2-brine systems at the pore-scale, at conditions that are realistic for subsurface H2 storage.

Experiments

We have performed in situ X-ray imaging during a flow experiment to investigate pore-scale processes during H2 injection and displacement in a brine saturated Bentheimer sandstone sample at temperature and pressure conditions representative of underground reservoirs. Two injection schemes were followed for imbibition: displacement of H2 with H2-equilibrated brine and with non-H2-equilibrated brine. The results from the two cycles were compared with each other.

Findings

The sandstone was found to be wetting to the brine and non-wetting to H2 after both displacement cycles, with average contact angles of 54° and 53°, for H2-equilibrated and non-H2-equilibrated brine, respectively. We also found a higher recovery of H2 (43.1%) when displaced with non-H2-equilibrated brine compared to that of H2-equilibrated brine (31.6%), indicating potential dissolution of H2 in the unequilibrated, imbibing brine at reservoir conditions. Our results suggest that underground H2 storage may indeed be a suitable strategy for energy storage, but considerable further research is needed to fully comprehend the pore-scale interactions at reservoir conditions.

Underground hydrogen storage
In situ flow experiment
3D X-ray visualization
Hydrogen Wettability

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:c57206a2-9f98-48cc-a795-1ac05f3d4af3

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2022.09.082

0021-9797

Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 629 (2023), 316-325

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2022 Zaid Jangda, Hannah Menke, Andreas Busch, S. Geiger, Tom Bultreys, Helen Lewis, Kamaljit Singh