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Quantitative risk assessment examples for underground hydrogen storage facilities

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/2372618· OSTI ID:2372618
 [1];  [1]
  1. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Hydrogen energy storage can be used to achieve goals of national energy security, renewable energy integration, and grid resilience. Adapting underground natural gas storage facility (UNGSF) infrastructure for underground hydrogen storage (UHS) is one method of storing large quantities of hydrogen that has already largely been proven to work for natural gas. There are currently some underground salt caverns in the United States that are being used for hydrogen storage by commercial entities, but it is still a fairly new concept in that it has not been widely deployed nor has it been done with other geologic formations like depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs. Assessments of UHS systems can help identify and evaluate risks to people both working within the facility and residing nearby. This report provides example risk assessment methodologies and analyses for generic wellhead and processing facility configurations, specifically in the context of the risks of unintentional hydrogen releases into the air. Assessment of the hydrogen containment in the subsurface is also critically important for a safety assessment for a UHS facility, but those geomechanical assessments are not included in this report.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM). Office of Clean Energy Systems; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM)
DOE Contract Number:
NA0003525
OSTI ID:
2372618
Report Number(s):
SAND--2024-07060R
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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