Active and Recently Completed Research Projects

The ongoing Research Projects were updated during the Spring 2024 Krakow Meeting and summaries were briefly presented at the Business Meeting.

U2021-2: “Predictive tool (and predictions) for critical velocity for Configurations (iii) and (iv) without centralizers, Phase V (McGill)”

  • Project Team: McGill University, Project Owner: Prof. Michael Paidoussis
  • Project Sponsors: Joe Ratigan and Sophie Minas
  • Experimental Stabilization of Brine Strings
  • Project Extension until July 2025

Learned through phases I and IV: Both flutter and buckling can occur in brine strings. Annular flow is of paramount importance in brine string deformation (in both configurations, iii and iv). Recommended new well completion techniques:

  1. Stiff centralizers to mitigate annular flow impacts,
  2. Increased tubing diameter in the cavern depth interval to increase deformation stiffness,
    1. Radial flow at the tubing exit to allow for increased brine injection velocities.

U2023-1: Continued Monitoring of Strain Measurements at Cavern Stassfurt BS13 as continuation to Research Project U2018-3

  • Project Team: ESK GmbH 
  • Full Set of Operational Data available
  • Scope: Continuation of project U2018-3 with annual Measurements
  • Next Measurement Scheduled for March 2026
  • Full set of Operational Data Available - Measurements in concordance of expectations
  • Optical fibre required repair in April 2025 after defect was detected

RFP2023-1-1 Proposal in reply to SMRI RFP 2023-1 “Deep or tall cavern abandonment testing and analysis"

  • Project Team: DEEP.KBB, WEP, Frisia

  • Scope: Pre-abandonment Field Data, Abandonment Field Tests and Evaluation of Results for FRISIA Caverns
    o Duration: 3 years
    o Initial data package made available for SMRI. Abandonment Tests expected Q4/2025

RFP2023-1-2 Proposal in reply to SMRI RFP 2023-1 "Deep or tall cavern abandonment testing and analysis"

  • Project Team: Nobian, Brouard Consulting, TU Delft
  • Scope/Objective:
    o Scope: Deep or Tall Cavern Abandonment Testing and Analysis
    o Duration: 4 years
  • Test Core Material may need replacement
  • Seismic/Pressure Monitoring ongoing

U2023-4 (CfP2023-1) "Implement Fiber Optic Technology for Underground Gas Storage Well Monitoring" PHMSA Proposal with PRCI.

  • Approved for funding by PHMSA on September 25, 2023
  • Funded through EFI
  • Will need to establish team members to participate with PRCI
  • Duration: 2 years
  • Dirk Zapf (University of Hanover, Germany) as member of the review board
  • GESO (Germany, SMRI member) as project advisor 
  • Test Plan/Part Procurement complete
  • Test execution and guideline development expected May-June 2025
RFP2023-2 “Research on Microbial Induced Reactions in H2 Salt Caverns”
  • Project Team: Microbify GmbH, SOCON Sonar Control Kavernenvermessung GmbH, TU Clausthal
  • Project Lead: Linda Dengler
  • Scope: Microbial characterization, incubation, and growth, and its effect on Hydrogen Storage
  • Duration: 1 Year
  • WP 1 (Brine Sampling) Complete, WP 2 (Microbiology/ metabolite detection) at 50%.

RFP2023-3 “H2 - Nat Gas Blends Stratification Potential in Caverns"

  • Project Team: Agapito
  • Project Lead: Brandon Lampe
  • Scope: Conduct CFD Case studies to understand the effect of cavern geometry, the influence of well configuration, and the influence of flow rate on produced gas compositions during Hydrogen Injection
  • Task 1 - Fluid Transport Determination Complete, Task 2 - Cavern Geometry and Cavern Conditions in progress
  • Modelling is ongoing, need to consider more finite scenarios

RFP2023-4 “Research on Mechanical Integrity Tests for H2 Storage Caverns"

  • Project Team: DEEP.KBB, Geostock, WSP
  • Project Lead: Heike Bernhardt
  • Scope: Development of recommended practice for H2 Storage Caverns
  • Current findings imply similarity between H2 and N2 in volumetric terms

RFP2023-5 “Research on Repurposing Existing Caverns for H2 Storage"

  • Project Team: Storag Etzel, Gasunie, DEEP.KBB
  • Project Lead: Carsten Reekers
  • Scope: Identify differences and requirements for repurposing caverns for H2 storage to recommended guidelines
  • Currently assessing requirements, cavern stability, and industry guidelines

UP2025-1 “Impact of Microfabrics on Rock Salt Geomechanical Diversity"

  • Project Team: AGH University of Krakow,Leibniz University Hannover
  • Scope: Determine impact of petrological features on variability of mechanical properties and deformability of salt on micro scale.
  • Duration: 18 Months