Experimental Study of Hydrogen Synthesis under Conditions of a Natural Gas Reservoir

Abstract

This research discusses issues related to hydrogen production, a promising source of “green” energy. Various methods of hydrogen production are considered, along with a new technology for hydrogen synthesis in natural gas reservoirs that has never been implemented before. At the same time, existing published experimental studies indicate a high probability of hydrogen synthesis when steam is injected into oil reservoirs. However, considering that oil is the primary raw material for hydrogen generation, there is high uncertainty about the success of the process in natural gas fields in the absence of residual oil. The experimental study presented in this work aims to justify the possibility of hydrogen synthesis under conditions of a natural gas reservoir. Specially designed reactors filled with different models of porous media, including the rock of a real gas field, are used for the physical modeling of the process. The process simulates injecting steam into a preheated porous medium mixed with hydrocarbon gas, specifically methane, at a reservoir pressure of 80 atm. The main variable parameters, aside from the type of porous medium, are the temperature and the steam-to-methane ratio in the system. The article presents the results of a series of nine experiments. The gas products were analyzed using a gas chromatograph. At the same time, the properties of rock samples were investigated after each experiment. The results of the experiments reveal patterns of concentration of hydrogen produced depending on the parameters, indicating the high potential of hydrogen synthesis technology under reservoir conditions in natural gas fields.

Keywords

• hydrogen
• steam reforming
• gas reservoir
• natural gas
• methane