University of Wyoming researchers develop roadmap for underground gas storage
Researchers at the University of Wyoming have published a review outlining a framework for selecting underground storage sites for carbon dioxide, hydrogen and natural gas, with the aim of improving the safety, efficiency and economic viability of subsurface energy storage.
The study, published in the open-access journal Advances in Geo-Energy Research, examines how geological, technical, environmental, economic and social factors can be combined to assess potential storage sites.
The researchers argue that conventional approaches based solely on geological characteristics are insufficient because carbon dioxide, hydrogen and natural gas have different physical and chemical properties that influence how they behave underground.
The review, titled “Subsurface storage of CO2, H2 and natural gas: A review of site-selection criteria and decision-support approaches”, was authored by Prince Duah, a doctoral student in the University of Wyoming’s Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering; Matthew Johnson, an associate research professional at the university’s School of Energy Resources; and Saman Aryana, Occidental Chair in Energy and Environmental Technologies and associate dean of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences.
The proposed framework covers storage in deep saline aquifers, depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs and salt caverns. It combines established multicriteria decision-making techniques with geographic information systems, reservoir simulation and machine learning to support large-scale site screening and uncertainty analysis.
“Selecting a storage site is not only a geological question,” Aryana said. “It requires weighing geological, technical, environmental, economic and social criteria, while recognizing that carbon dioxide, hydrogen and natural gas each behave differently underground.”
The researchers said the approach is designed to provide industry, regulators and communities with a common basis for assessing potential storage locations while making the assumptions behind decisions more transparent.
A central finding of the review is that no single analytical method can adequately determine the suitability of an underground storage site. Instead, the authors advocate hybrid workflows that combine structured decision-making, spatial analysis and physics-based reservoir evaluation.
The framework also places emphasis on the quality of data used during site assessment. According to the researchers, transparent assumptions and effective integration of information across different technical scales are essential to reducing uncertainty and improving the reliability of storage decisions.
The review comes as underground storage technologies are being considered for a range of applications, including carbon management and the expansion of hydrogen infrastructure. Geological storage could provide large-scale capacity for hydrogen and natural gas, while underground CO2 storage is a potential component of carbon capture and storage systems.
The authors highlight the need for further large-scale hydrogen storage demonstrations, particularly in deep saline aquifers and depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs. They argue that additional field experience will be important for improving understanding of hydrogen behaviour and validating approaches for selecting and managing storage sites.
The researchers also said future development should be supported by transparent decision-making frameworks that can account for technical performance alongside wider environmental, economic and social considerations.
Duah led the review across the three gases and three principal underground storage settings, while the work brought together expertise in subsurface modelling, energy and environmental technologies.
The research was supported by the Hydrogen Energy Research Center and the Mowry Shale initiative at the University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources.
