Underground hydrogen storage in the gas reservoirs of Pennsylvania

Hydrogen will be crucial for powering energy hubs – like Pennsylvania – in the future. Here, we provide the first geologic hydrogen storage resource assessment for the Commonwealth. We validate existing methods for estimating the pore volume available for hydrogen storage in hydrocarbon gas pools using industry-reported data. We estimate that Pennsylvania gas pools can store 2,033 TWh (∼61 million tons) of hydrogen working gas, which is ample storage potential for a hydrogen economy in the state. We evaluate the physical and chemical attributes of these pools to compare their efficacy for hydrogen storage. Twenty large, dry gas, high pressure, high temperature pools in sedimentary formations with favorable mineralogy and water chemistry could be especially effective hydrogen storage sites. This work helps hydrogen development proceed in a state that requires large quantities of energy storage and fuel in the future.