LSU PETE Professor Receives IEI Grant for Hydrogen Storage Sites Research
February 05, 2025
Associate Professor Mehdi Zeidouni
LSU Craft & Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering Associate Professor Mehdi Zeidouni recently received an LSU Institute for Energy Innovation grant for his research on underground hydrogen storage sites in Louisiana with the help of Southern University PTEC Program Lead Vahid Atashbari.
The project titled "Identification of Underground Hydrogen Storage Sites in Louisiana: Assessing Geographical, Geological, Infrastructural and Environmental Factors" aims to identify and evaluate potential underground storage sites for hydrogen in Louisiana, an important step in supporting the state's industrial decarbonization efforts.
As Louisiana's industrial sector is responsible for a large portion of its greenhouse gas emissions, hydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies are key solutions for reducing these emissions. The project focuses on blue hydrogen, which combines hydrogen production from fossil fuels with CCS, a method expected to help reduce about 20% of Louisiana's emissions by 2050.
The study examines three main candidates for underground hydrogen storage (UHS): salt caverns, depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs, and saline aquifers. Salt caverns can store large volumes of hydrogen but are geographically limited. Depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs have a good sealing capacity but might affect hydrogen purity. Saline aquifers offer larger storage potential but may lead to hydrogen loss and efficiency issues due to water production during extraction.
The project involves creating a framework to assess site feasibility, taking into account geological, environmental, and infrastructural factors. The researchers will evaluate the storage capacity and well deliverability at selected sites to ensure their safety and operational feasibility.
The study is supported by several industrial partners, including LA DENR, ExxonMobil, FlowTex Energy, and SSEB, with LSU and Southern University collaborating on its implementation.
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