This study presents a modeling approach to evaluate salt precipitation caused by water evaporation near the wellbore during hydrogen injection into geological porous media. Vapor-liquid equilibrium data on hydrogen-water interactions and the kinetics of halite precipitation were integrated into a model using PHREEQC geochemical software to simulate halite precipitation. The model also accounted for the thermal effects on the evolution of the dry-out zone. Results showed that water evaporation reduced water saturation, leading to an increase in salinity. When salinity exceeded the halite saturation threshold, salt precipitation occurred, causing porosity reduction and damage to the near-wellbore formation. After six months, the dry-out zone extended 4.93 m with a skin factor of 0.7. Higher injection rates accelerated evaporation, leading to faster saturation reduction, earlier salt precipitation, and more rapid formation of the dry-out zone. Although the dry-out zone was predicted to expand with continued injection, it remained localized around the wellbore.
Evaporation-induced salt precipitation and dry-out evolution during hydrogen storage in geological porous media
Authors
M. Ghaedi, R. Gholami, S. Bellas, E. Stamatakis
Abstract
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. 2025, 102