Simulation-Based Staged Decoupling of Mobility, Heterogeneity and Hysteresis Effects in Underground Hydrogen Storage

Underground hydrogen storage (UHS) in saline aquifers represents a critical technology for decarbonizing energy systems, yet recovery factor uncertainties (25%–95%) constrain commercial deployment. This study introduces a staged decoupling methodology to quantify how hydrogen-specific properties, geological heterogeneity, and hysteresis progressively impact storage performance. Through validated numerical simulations of a confined aquifer (1500 m depth, 250 mD), we isolate mechanisms across four stages: baseline validation achieving moderate recovery (49%); hydrogen-specific relative permeabilities reducing recovery by approximately 4%; geological architectures creating variations of up to 17% between channelized and layered systems; and hysteresis effects causing the most severe degradation with recovery declining to 26%. Critical findings reveal hydrogen’s extreme mobility ratio () constrains operational efficiency, geological architecture controls performance beyond heterogeneity statistics, and hysteresis emerges as the dominant constraint with significant increases in residual saturation. These mechanisms escalate levelized storage costs from below $4/kg to over $7/kg H2, directly impacting geoenergy economics. Our framework provides quantitative insights for optimizing site selection and operational strategies, addressing key challenges in subsurface hydrogen storage for renewable energy integration. This systematic approach enables risk assessment critical for advancing UHS as a viable solution within the broader geoenergy transition.

Department

Master of Science in Energy Engineering

Publisher

Elsevier

Sponsor

no