Capacity assessment and economic analysis of geologic storage of hydrogen in hydrocarbon basins: A South Asian perspective

The underground hydrogen storage represents a promising long-term, large-volume solution for hydrogen and hydrogen-methane blends, which is crucial for the anticipated “hydrogen economy” in South Asia. The suitability of any storage location hinges on its capacity and the associated costs of storage. This study provides a comparative analysis of the storage capacities for green hydrogen across fifty-nine porous geological reservoirs in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka— the four major South Asian economies. The levelized cost of hydrogen storage (LCHS) was calculated for pure hydrogen storage in these basins. Additionally, the storage capacities of the five largest basins from India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan were evaluated for hydrogen-methane blends at 25%, 50%, and 75% concentrations. The findings indicate that South Asia's total pure hydrogen storage capacity is 29,799.43 TWh, with India contributing over 75%. Furthermore, hydrogen-methane blends were found to store more energy than pure hydrogen, with a 75% hydrogen blend storing over 65% more energy in the same basin. The primary cost factors for hydrogen storage in South Asia are compressor costs, followed by the costs of working gas and well construction. Under the parameters considered, the LCHS in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are $2.01, $1.28, $1.2, and $2 per kilogram of injected hydrogen.