Australian salt basins – options for underground hydrogen storage

Abstract

As Australia and the world transition to net zero emissions, hydrogen will continue to grow in importance as a clean energy source, with underground hydrogen storage (UHS) expected to be a key component of this new industry. Salt (halite) caverns are a preferred storage option for hydrogen, given their scale, stability and the high injection and withdrawal rates they can support. The use of salt caverns for storing gas is an established industry in North America and Europe but not in Australia, where exploration for suitable storage locations is in the initial frontier stages. Australia’s known major halite deposits occur in Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic sequences and are predominantly located in western and central Australia. This analysis has identified potential in eastern Australia in addition to the proven thick halite in the Adavale Basin, Queensland. Building on Geoscience Australia’s previous salt studies in the Canning, Polda and Adavale basins, this study expands the portfolio of areas prospective for halite in onshore and offshore basins using both direct and indirect evidence. The study correlates paleogeography and paleoclimate reconstructions with evidence of salt in wells, and in geophysical and geochemical data. Salt cavern design for UHS, the solution mining process, and the preferred salt deposits are also discussed. The results will provide pre-competitive information through a comprehensive inventory of areas that may be prospective for UHS.