Mapping of salt resources for underground storage for hydrogen

R&D Focus Areas:
Underground storage

Lead Organisation:
Geoscience Australia

Partners:
The University of Queensland, Intrepid Geophysics, CSIRO, QIntegral

Status:
Completed

Start date:
August 2021

Completion date:
June 2024

Key contacts:
Lead Investigator Dr Andrew Feitz – andrew.feitz@ga.gov.au

Funding:
The project is funded under the Exploring for the Future program.

Project total cost:
Not applicable

Project summary description:
Geoscience Australia undertook a major program exploring for suitable underground salt accumulations for underground hydrogen storage, both for domestic use and export. The project supported the implementation of the National Hydrogen Strategy through understanding underground hydrogen storage resources in key locations across Australia. Salt caverns are considered to be the cheapest form of large-scale hydrogen storage. There are presently four commercially operating salt caverns for large scale hydrogen storage operating worldwide with over 20 more in various stages of development.

Geoscience Australia produced a nationwide map of the distribution of thick salt accumulations (and salt leads) in salt-bearing sedimentary sequences, including Carribuddy Group salt in the Canning Basin, Chandler Formation in the Amadeus Basin, Boree salt in the Adavale Basin, Kilroo Formation in the Polda Basin, Browne Formation in the Officer Basin and reports of salt accumulations in the offshore Bonaparte Basin (https://www.ga.gov.au/aecr2024/hydrogen#gallery-3). More in depth studies revealed that the Boree Salt and Kilroo formation show particular promise. The majority of the thick salt in the Canning Basin appears to be interbedded and potentially not suitable for cavern constructure. There remains the possibility that higher purity salt diapirs are present in the Canning Basin and these should be the target for further exploration, with a study using airborne electromagnetics highlighting potential targets.

Related publications and key links:
Bradshaw, M., Rees, S., Wang, L., Szczepaniak, M., Cook, W., Voegeli, S., Boreham, C., Wainman, C., Wong, S., Southby, C. and Feitz, A., 2023. Australian salt basins–options for underground hydrogen storage. The APPEA Journal, 63(1), pp.285-304. https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ22153

Paterson, R., Feitz, A., Wang, L., Rees, S., Keetley, J. 2022. A preliminary 3D model of the Boree Salt in the Adavale Basin, Queensland. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/146935

Connors, K.A., Wong, S., Vilhena, J.F.M., Rees, S., Feitz, A. 2022. Canning Basin AusAEM interpretation: hydrogen storage potential and multilayered mapping. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/146376

Feitz, A., Wang, L., Rees, S., Carr, L. 2022. Feasibility of underground hydrogen storage in a salt cavern in the offshore Polda Basin. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/146501

Wang, L., Rees, S., Carr, L.K., Feitz, A.J. 2023. Feasibility of underground hydrogen storage with salt caverns in the offshore Polda Basin, South Australia. RECORD: 2023/005. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/146489

Paterson, R. 2022. Adavale Basin 3D Geological Model. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. https://doi.org/10.26186/146942

Wang, L. 2023. Adavale Basin 3D Geological Model – Petrel Dataset. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/147256

Dunne, J., Wang, L., Poudjom Djomani, Y. and Feitz, A. 2023. Integrated geophysical modelling for salt mapping in the Polda Basin, South Australia. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/148625

Rees, S., Wang, L., Dewhurst, D. and Feitz, A. 2023. Feasibility of underground hydrogen storage in a salt cavern in the Adavale Basin. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/147914

Rees, S., Bradshaw, M., Wainman, C., Wang, L., Sczepaniak, M., Wong, S. and Feitz, A. 2023. Underground hydrogen storage potential in Australian salt basins. Australian Hydrogen Research Conference, Canberra, 8-10 February 2023.

Feitz, A., Rees, S., Haines, P. and Brooks, D. 2024. Letter to the Editor on “Quantifying onshore salt deposits and their potential for hydrogen energy storage in Australia”. Journal of Energy Storage. 87. 111347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2024.111347

Higher degree studies supported:
Not applicable

 

Reviewed: August 2024