Advancing Underground Hydrogen Storage in the North German Basin: Geological Assessment and Challenges at the Ketzin–Roskow Site

Unofficial AI-generated summary based on the public title and abstract. Not an official translation.

🔬研究者:Provides a robust geological characterization methodology for UHS site assessment, applicable to other sedimentary basins.

🏢実務担当者:Offers a case study for repurposing former natural gas/CO2 storage sites for hydrogen, informing project feasibility and risk assessment.

🏛政策担当者:Highlights the geological prerequisites for UHS, supporting strategic decisions on hydrogen infrastructure development and site selection.

Green hydrogen (H2) can be produced using excess renewable electricity through electrolysis and temporarily stored in porous formations and plays a key role in enhancing the energy supply flexibility and supporting global decarbonization. This paper evaluates the potential of the North German Basin (NGB) for developing underground hydrogen storage (UHS) projects through geological characterization and site-specific assessment. The study focuses on the Ketzin–Roskow anticline as a representative case study. This area was formerly used for natural gas storage and served as the first onshore CO2 pilot storage site, and is now proposed for developing an H2 demonstrator in a saline aquifer. Geological modelling is based on the reinterpretation and integration of existing subsurface datasets (seismic data, well-logs, core samples) from the Ketzin CO2 storage project. Mineralogical, textural, and geochemical characterization were conducted to characterize the reservoir and caprock formations. The results confirm that the Ketzin–Roskow double-anticline structure can act as a structural trap suitable for gas containment and accumulation. From the stratigraphic, petrophysical, and mineralogical characterization results, the Stuttgart Formation sandstones are identified as the most suitable storage formation. This unit consists of fluvial sandstones with porosity ranging from 5–35% and permeability from 0.02 mD to >5000 mD, interbedded with mudstones and evaporites. The overlying Weser Formation is identified as a good caprock due to its formation thickness, fine-grained texture, high clay-mineral content, and favorable petrophysical properties. The Exter Formation was also evaluated as an alternative reservoir, but further petrophysical studies are required to better constrain its storage potential. Additionally, the Jurassic sandstones, which have been used as effective reservoirs for natural gas storage in the Ketzin anticline, have potential to serve as reservoirs for UHS in the Roskow area. These layers are overlain by the Tertiary Rupelian Clay, which can act as a caprock. Although this Formation is promising, further site-specific studies are recommended to estimate its storage capacity of the reservoir and to assess the caprock quality. This work provides valuable insights into the geological characterization of the Ketzin–Roskow reservoir–caprock systems and highlights the suitability of the NGB for UHS projects.

• semanticscholar https://doi.org/10.2118/233261-msfirst seen 2026-07-04 05:27:28