Flow-rate controls on trapped hydrogen redistribution in a heterogeneous sandstone: a synchrotron X-ray micro-CT study
Abstract
Subsurface hydrogen storage in porous geological formations is a promising strategy for balancing temporal mismatches between renewable energy generation and demand. The viability of large-scale hydrogen storage depends on predicting hydrogen distribution, trapping, and recovery during cyclic injection and withdrawal operations. However, these multiphase flow processes are influenced by rock heterogeneity, capillary hysteresis and trapping at the pore-scale. In this work, fast in-situ synchrotron X-ray tomography was used to directly visualise hydrogen mobilisation during brine imbibition in a heterogeneous sandstone. By systematically varying the brine injection rate, the influence of flow conditions on hydrogen recovery, and the evolution of trapped hydrogen were quantified. Significant mobilisation of disconnected hydrogen clusters was observed during imbibition, even at low capillary numbers (< 10−6). Rock heterogeneity influenced trapping behaviour, particularly during the early stages of imbibition. Our results highlight the importance of incorporating pore-scale heterogeneity and transient trapping mechanisms into hydrogen storage predictions.
Related
- Mineral Matrix Composition Controls the Redistribution of Soil Organic Carbon Fractions and Microbial Functioning in Constructed Technosols Under Semi‐Arid Conditions
- Controls on natural hydrogen generation during serpentinization of mantle rocks
- Dynamics and Controls of Microbial Hydrogen Consumption in Porous Media.
- Permeability evolution during long-term matrix acidification of sandstone under reservoir conditions
- Influence of fluid chemical composition on fracture toughness and frictional strength weakening: Sandstone brittle and ductile strength constraints
BibTeX
@misc{spurin2026flowrate,
title = {{Flow-rate controls on trapped hydrogen redistribution in a heterogeneous sandstone: a synchrotron X-ray micro-CT study}},
author = {Catherine Spurin and Sojwal Manoorkar and Sharon Ellman and Ian B. Butler and Aliakbar Hassanpouryouzband and Damien Freitas and Fernando Alvarez-Borges and Robert Atwood and Katriona Edlmann and Eike Thaysen},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.01886},
eprint = {2610.01886},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.01886},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Flow-rate controls on trapped hydrogen redistribution in a heterogeneous sandstone: a synchrotron X-ray micro-CT study
AU - Catherine Spurin
AU - Sojwal Manoorkar
AU - Sharon Ellman
AU - Ian B. Butler
AU - Aliakbar Hassanpouryouzband
AU - Damien Freitas
AU - Fernando Alvarez-Borges
AU - Robert Atwood
AU - Katriona Edlmann
AU - Eike Thaysen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.01886
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.01886
AB - Subsurface hydrogen storage in porous geological formations is a promising strategy for balancing temporal mismatches between renewable energy generation and demand. The viability of large-scale hydrogen storage depends on predicting hydrogen distribution, trapping, and recovery during cyclic injection and withdrawal operations. However, these multiphase flow processes are influenced by rock heterogeneity, capillary hysteresis and trapping at the pore-scale. In this work, fast in-situ synchrotron X-ray tomography was used to directly visualise hydrogen mobilisation during brine imbibition in a heterogeneous sandstone. By systematically varying the brine injection rate, the influence of flow conditions on hydrogen recovery, and the evolution of trapped hydrogen were quantified. Significant mobilisation of disconnected hydrogen clusters was observed during imbibition, even at low capillary numbers (< 10^−6). Rock heterogeneity influenced trapping behaviour, particularly during the early stages of imbibition. Our results highlight the importance of incorporating pore-scale heterogeneity and transient trapping mechanisms into hydrogen storage predictions.
ER -