Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

Energy and Fuels

Publisher

ACS

School

School of Engineering

Publication Unique Identifier

10.1021/acs.energyfuels.5c00322

Funders

CSIRO iPhD Scholarship / Gold Hydrogen Ltd. (C038420) / Australian Research Council

Grant Number

ARC Number : DP220102907

Comments

Davies, K., Esteban, L., Sarout, J., Keshavarz, A., & Iglauer, S. (2025). Hydrogen-induced transformations in Dolomite: Unlocking natural hydrogen exploration and subsurface storage in carbonates. Energy & Fuels, 39(13), 6644-6653. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.5c00322

Abstract

Large-scale subsurface geological storage of hydrogen can significantly contribute to the energy transition to low-carbon fuels by addressing the intermittency of renewable energy systems. Dolomite formations are abundant and well-suited for hydrogen storage due to their favorable reservoir properties. Natural hydrogen has also been discovered within dolomite reservoirs globally. Despite their potential, interactions between hydrogen and dolomitic formations under subsurface conditions remain poorly understood, particularly regarding mineralogical transformations and reaction kinetics to assess potential risk for reservoir quality for long-term storage and key indicators for natural hydrogen exploration. This study examined physicochemical changes in dolomitic samples during high-pressure hydrogen ageing experiments. Results revealed significant dolomite dissolution alongside ankerite precipitation, with porosity and permeability increasing by up to 17 and 20%, respectively. While all samples showed a reduction in total organic content (TOC), methane was detected only in the low-porosity sample, which showed the largest TOC reduction (56%). Furthermore, high porosity samples showed faster reaction kinetics, completing the reaction within 90 days. These findings suggest that dolomitic reservoirs, especially those with high porosity and permeability, are well-suited for subsurface hydrogen storage as their reactivity is primarily confined to the initial storage cycles, ensuring greater long-term stability and improved gas purity in low-TOC conditions. Furthermore, the dolomite-ankerite transformation could be a key indicator for natural hydrogen exploration. This study provides fundamental data and thus aids in the establishment of a large-scale hydrogen economy.

DOI

10.1021/acs.energyfuels.5c00322

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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