Experimental characterization of multi-phase flow in porous rock relevant for subsurface gas storage

Large scale subsurface gas storage in porous reservoirs can play an important role in the energy transition. Geological storage of carbon dioxide will mitigate CO2 emissions while underground energy storage, for example in the form of hydrogen gas, can be used to balance out the renewable energy production and demand. To investigate the feasibility of large scale subsurface gas storage in porous reservoirs, simulation models are needed that accurately capture the multi-phase flow behaviour in porous rock. Important input parameters for reservoir simulators are relative permeability and capillary pressure which highly depend on the wettability of the system. In this presentation, we will show results of different experimental techniques to characterize and visualize gas transport in porous rock including a novel experimental device to characterize wettability under the impact of different driving forces.