HYDROGEN FLOW MODEL IN POROUS MEDIA FOR UNDERGROUND HYDROGEN STORAGE (UHS)

The increasing need for renewable energy storage due to the fluctuating nature of sources like wind and solar power requires efficient large-scale energy storage solutions. Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS) in porous media, such as depleted gas fields and saline aquifers, presents a promising method for storing hydrogen, which has a high energy content per unit mass (Gessel, 2023).

Numerical modelling is crucial for the proper study and design of UHS. It allows for the prediction of the behaviour of stored hydrogen within the reservoir, as well as its interaction with cushion gas or formation water. This predictive capability is essential for optimizing injection and extraction processes, minimizing losses, and improving storage efficiency (Sainz-Garcia et al., 2017). A comprehensive model is proposed to simulate hydrogen transport in porous media, incorporating factors such as gas solubility, density, and the effects of temperature, pressure, and salinity.

Therefore, a Thermo-Hydro-Chemical-Mechanical (THCM) tool with a triple porosity model (Navarro et al., 2024, 2020), that enhances the characterization of the behaviour of such storage systems, with special consideration of hydro-mechanical effects has been implemented. The aim of this work is to present this tool along with its qualification by simulating reservoir-scale tests, which include hydrogen injection into a depleted gas reservoir.