Innovative high pressure / high temperature, multi-sensing bioreactors system for microbial risk assessment in underground hydrogen storage

This study addresses the microbial risks associated with Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS), a critical component in the transition towards renewable energy systems, by employing an innovative multi-reactor system (Bioxplorer) to simulate UHS conditions in two Italian reservoirs. The microbiological risk assessment (MRA) of Reservoir A and B was performed by subjecting them to gas mixtures of 10 % H2 and 90 % CH4, and 99 % H2 and 1 % CO2, respectively. In Reservoir A, the stability of pressure and temperature, the negligible optical density, and lack of microbial metabolites suggested a low risk of microbial activation. Molecular analyses confirmed the absence of sulphatereducing bacteria (SRB) and limited growth of hydrogenotrophic methanogens (HM). Similarly, in Reservoir B, the absence of SRB and limited occurrence of HM indicated a low microbiological risk. Overall, the present work supports the safe and efficient implementation of UHS, a promising mitigation technique for climate change, using an innovative tool for MRA.