A Review on Large-Scale Underground Hydrogen Storage Technologies

Hao Cheng

doi:10.54097/jj351a78

Authors

Hao Cheng

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/jj351a78

Keywords:

Underground hydrogen storage; salt caverns; depleted gas reservoirs; geochemical reactions; microbial processes; caprock integrity.

Abstract

Hydrogen, recognized as a clean and sustainable energy carrier, is gaining increasing attention due to its high energy density and low environmental impact. Underground hydrogen storage (UHS) offers a feasible solution to balance hydrogen supply and demand on a large scale. This review comprehensively summarizes the main characteristics of hydrogen under various PVT conditions, its environmental benefits, and the rationale for considering underground storage. Key factors influencing UHS, including geochemical and microbial reactions and storage integrity, are analyzed. The principles of UHS and the types of geological formations suitable for storage—such as salt caverns, aquifers, and depleted oil and gas reservoirs—are reviewed along with current domestic and international projects. Special focus is given to the technical challenges of using depleted reservoirs, including issues of leakage, trap and facility integrity, and hydrogen consumption via sulfide reactions. The paper concludes that China has strategic advantages in developing UHS due to abundant geological resources, technological innovation potential, and an integrated hydrogen industry chain, although it is still in the early stages of development.

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