Assessing the potential of large-scale geological hydrogen storage in North Dakota's Bakken Formation: A case study integrating wind-powered hydrogen production

The research seeks to assess the feasibility of utilizing depleted oil and gas reservoirs for large-scale hydrogen storage through wind energy in the Middle Bakken, North Dakota, USA. Despite the region's vast oil and gas reserves and development activities, wind energy for hydrogen production and storage remains largely untapped. The study discovered significant hydrogen storage capacities in Well A, Well B, and Well C, using a real gas behavior mathematical model. This presents a large-scale, co-located renewable energy storage solution serving as a model for the sustainable energy transition. The results show hydrogen storage potentials of 250.27, 401.48, and 163.296 ktons, respectively, with 50 % cushion gas. The cumulative hydrogen production and energy content from hydrogen over the study period were for Well B is 367,278 kg and 12,430 MWh, enabling hydrogen storage for up to 1088 days. A sensitivity analysis reveals that a lower cushion gas percentage is preferable for hydrogen storage efficiency. This approach is valuable for stakeholders, including government bodies, geological services, renewable energy facilities, and the chemical/petrochemical industry, as it provides opportunities in developing a co-located wind and hydrogen system to tackle the intermittent nature of wind energy and offers a sustainable repurposing of depleted oil and gas infrastructure, enhancing energy security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions while supporting sustainable energy transitions.