“Innovative high pressure/high temperature, multi-sensing bioreactors system for microbial risk assessment in underground hydrogen storage”

This study addresses the microbial risks associated with Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS), a critical component in the transition towards renewable energy systems, by employing an innovative multi-reactor system (Bio-xplorer) to simulate UHS conditions in two Italian reservoirs. The microbiological risk assessment (MRA) of Reservoir A and B was evaluated by subjecting them to gas mixtures of 10 % H2 and 90 % CH4, and 99 % H2 and 1 % CO2, respectively. In Reservoir A, the stability of pressure and temperature, the negligible optical density, and lack of microbial metabolites suggested a low risk of microbial activation. Molecular analyses confirmed the absence of sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and limited growth of hydrogenotrophic methanogens (HM). Similarly, in Reservoir B, the absence of SRB and limited occurrence of HM indicated a low microbiological risk. Overall, the present work supports the safe and efficient implementation of UHS, a promising mitigation technique for climate change, using an innovative tool for MRA.