Speaker
Description
Underground hydrogen storage has emerged as a critical component in the transition to a low-carbon energy future, necessitating a deeper understanding of microbial interactions within storage reservoirs. Numerous studies have investigated gas-water-rock-microbe (GWRM) interactions in underground hydrogen storage (UHS), focusing on changes in gas composition, microbial community structure, and mineralogy driven by microbial metabolism. These investigations aim to assess hydrogen consumption and elucidate underlying mechanisms. Cultivation-based approaches enable prediction of potential microbial activities related to hydrogen consumption, provided relevant microorganisms are isolated from native subsurface reservoir fluids. However, experimental designs face limitations in representing reservoir conditions.
We conducted a comprehensive review of experimental investigations across multiple scales, from microfluidic devices to field-scale tests. Various bioreactor configurations were utilized, including serum bottles, high-pressure reactors, and microfluidic platforms. Experiments incorporated gas, water, and microbial components, with varying rock phase inclusions. Temperature and pressure conditions ranged from ambient to reservoir-relevant (up to 100 bar and 75 ℃). Analytical techniques included mass spectrometry, gas chromatography, microscopy, DNA sequencing, contact angle measurements, and interfacial tension analysis to study microbial hydrogen consumption kinetics, wettability alteration, biofilm formation, and geochemical reactivity under anaerobic conditions.
Cultivation studies using modified Hungate techniques revealed that methanogenic bacteria consume hydrogen and carbon dioxide from stored gas. Recent investigations identified sulfate reduction as a primary microbial process affecting hydrogen consumption, with consumption rates declining exponentially due to pH increases. Microbial activity was significantly impaired at higher salinity levels, though homoacetogenic activity facilitated sulfate reduction in hypersaline environments. Experiments with rock materials showed sulfate-reducing bacteria altering interfacial properties, increasing contact angles from 4.2° to 14.4° and reducing interfacial tension and capillary pressure by 19% and 65%, respectively. Microfluidic investigations demonstrated that biofilm formation shifted surface wettability from water-wet to neutral-wet states, with hydrogen consumption rates decreasing over time. Sand pack column experiments indicated a 4-24% increase in hydrogen in-place saturation between drainage cycles, attributed to decreased microbially-induced water-wetness. Field-scale bio-methanation experiments confirmed rapid CO2 and H2 consumption with methane production. Abiotic geochemical studies showed high stability, with less than 2% porosity reduction, indicating balanced dissolution-precipitation rates during prolonged hydrogen exposure.
This review synthesizes experimental studies on bio-geochemical reactions across scales, from nanometer/millimeter to kilometer dimensions. Most research focuses on intermediate scales using serum bottles and fermenters. Microfluidic platforms combined with advanced imaging enable direct visualization of microbial-induced clogging, spatiotemporal fluid saturation variations, and pore-scale wettability shifts. These approaches provide crucial insights for improved predictive modeling and risk assessment in UHS environments, bridging laboratory observations with field-scale implementation.
Keywords: Underground hydrogen storage, Experimental investigations, Microbial interactions, Multi-scale experimental analysis.
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