A study led by Professor John Underhill at the University of Aberdeen and Malcolm Butler at the UK Onshore Geophysical Library (UKOGL) has cast doubt on the suitability of the Cousland gas field in Midlothian, Scotland, as a potential hydrogen storage site.
Other academic studies have identified the decommissioned site near Dalkeith in Midlothian, decommissioned in the 1960s, as a potential candidate for significant hydrogen storage, supporting national net zero goals.
The research, exploring the decommissioned field’s viability, identified concerns regarding uncertainties in subsurface sedimentary rocks and field structure, raising apprehensions about potential hydrogen leaks.
The findings emphasise the challenges of porous media for safe subsurface storage and underscore the need for thorough independent evaluations in selecting sites for the energy transition.
Professor John Underhill, Director of the University of Aberdeen’s Centre for Energy Transition “However no natural hydrogen has been discovered in any existing onshore or offshore fields in the UK, which raises the question of whether it was once there and leaked and crucially if it would stay underground if it was injected into a subsurface site.
“We used geological data available through the UKOGL to critically evaluate the possibility and concluded that the Cousland field fails to meet the criteria for safe subsurface storage, is a poor site for a hydrogen repository and should not be used for this purpose.”
