Vortex Energy has entered into a hydrogen (H2) storage research and salt core storage agreement with National Research Canada (NRCan).
Under the agreement, approximately 118 meters of salt core from the VTX-West-23-1 core hole and 279 meters of salt core from the VTX-24-3 core hole (collectively, the salt core) will be stored at the NRCan Geological Survey of Canada facility in Calgary, Alberta for two years. Vortex Energy has not only informed the Energy Regulator of Newfoundland and Labrador about the temporary core storage and ongoing research being conducted by NRCan but has also received approval for these storage and research activities.
NRCan will perform research and carry out testing with the salt core to support its project named, Geoscience in Support CSA Z341 Updates for Underground Hydrogen Storage. The project comprises of a Canada-wide assessment of halite salt formations for safe and long-term storage as well as withdrawal of hydrogen gas from caverns developed from these salt formations.
The University of Alberta will have access to selected salt core to perform mineralogical analysis, proof of concept experiments and simulation studies on the selected salt core during the storage period. Vortex’s partnership with the university received grant worth $1.2 million from Alberta Innovates Funding for the project titled Field Trial of Hydrogen Storage in Canadian Domal and Bedded Salts.
“We hope that this collaboration will help further their research and help us better understand the potential for our Robinsons River Salt Project,” said Paul Sparkes, Chief Executive Officer of Vortex.
Salt caverns, also used to store natural gas and U.S. petroleum reserves, are being studied and developed for future hydrogen storage since H2 is carbon free and can be utilized as a power generation resource.
Other entities working on salt cavern storage for hydrogen include Dynapower, Chevron, Engie and Elogen, among others.
