Clean Hydrogen Production, Storage, Transport, and Utilization to Enable a Net-Zero Carbon Economy: Fundamental Research to Enable High Volume, Long-Term Subsurface Hydrogen Storage

Clean Hydrogen Production, Storage, Transport, and Utilization to Enable a Net-Zero Carbon Economy: Fundamental Research to Enable High Volume, Long-Term Subsurface Hydrogen Storage J. Richard Bowersox, Principal Investigator Abstract: As part of the Federal program to ensure a safe supply of energy in the United States and enable a net-zero-carbon economy, hydrogen has become one of the prime energy source candidates in development. Hydrogen development will require distribution through a national pipeline grid from hydrogen producers to suppliers and end-user consumer distribution centers with large-volume intermediate storage facilities. This proposal describes a two-year program where the Kentucky Geological Survey will join with research scientists at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech, or VT), to study the potential for hydrogen storage in deep-subsurface geological reservoirs in the Central Appalachian Basin. The interest here, and its practical application, is that far more hydrogen can be safely stored in the subsurface at intermediate transportation hubs than could be safely stored in even large-scale surface tankage facilities. The Kentucky Geological Survey’s contribution to the larger research project will fall into five areas: a) Geologic Expertise: As part of the project team, enable efficient site selection to help characterize reservoir storage properties of the Berea Sandstone (“Berea”) and Big Lime formation (“Big Lime”), two potential reservoirs in eastern Kentucky from the perspective of subsurface hydrogen storage. b) Sample and Site Access: Acquisition of representative reservoir rock cores and cuttings of the reservoir rock and caprock from the Berea, Big Lime, and other formations as my be necessary; arrange access to oil and gas wells’ produced water for sampling by Virginia Tech project team researchers. c) Data Sharing: Assist the Virginia Tech project team by sharing relevant data from the existing Kentucky Geological Survey geological databases. d) Communication: Help communicate with asset stakeholders, as in generating interest, letters of support, and possibly identifying a test site for future field-scale study. e) Quarterly Checks: Provide periodic reports, help monitor progress of the project team, and assist with re-aligning focus based on geological and technical needs.