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Using Flexible Gold-Titanium Reaction Cells to Simulate Pressure-Dependent Microbial Activity in the Context of Subsurface Biomining

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Microbial induced wettability alteration with implications for Underground Hydrogen Storage.

Maartje Boon^1,2, Ivan Buntic³, Kadir Ahmed⁴

¹Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, 2600, Delft, GA, The Netherlands. m.m.boon@tudelft.nl.

Scientific Reports

|April 8, 2024

Summary

Microbial biofilms affect hydrogen wettability in underground storage. Biofilm impact on contact angle depends on rock roughness, with smooth quartz becoming more water-wet, unlike rough sandstone.

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Last Updated: Jun 29, 2025

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Pore-scale Imaging and Characterization of Hydrocarbon Reservoir Rock Wettability at Subsurface Conditions Using X-ray Microtomography

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Published on: October 21, 2018

Soil Lysimeter Excavation for Coupled Hydrological, Geochemical, and Microbiological Investigations

Soil Lysimeter Excavation for Coupled Hydrological, Geochemical, and Microbiological Investigations

Published on: September 11, 2016

Area of Science:

Geochemistry
Microbiology
Petroleum Engineering

Background:

Microbial activity impacts hydrogen transport and storage in underground hydrogen storage (UHS).
Microbes metabolize hydrogen, forming biofilms that alter rock wettability and affect fluid flow dynamics.
Understanding these microbial impacts is crucial for efficient and safe UHS operations.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the influence of microbial activity on the wettability of hydrogen/brine/rock systems.
To determine how surface roughness affects biofilm formation and its impact on apparent contact angles.
To provide insights for optimizing UHS by considering microbial factors.

Main Methods:

Utilized a captive-bubble cell experimental approach to measure apparent contact angles.
Employed pure hydrogen bubbles in contact with solid surfaces in brine containing sulfate-reducing microbes.
Tested two solid samples: rough Bentheimer Sandstone and smooth pure Quartz to assess surface roughness effects.

Main Results:

Biofilm formation's impact on apparent contact angle is highly dependent on surface roughness.
For rough Bentheimer sandstone, biofilm formation did not alter the apparent contact angle.
For smooth pure Quartz, biofilm formation significantly decreased the apparent contact angle, increasing water-wetness.

Conclusions:

Surface roughness is a key factor in how microbial biofilms influence wettability during underground hydrogen storage.
Biofilm wettability is primarily governed by the consistency of Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS).
Accurate replication of reservoir conditions (roughness, brine chemistry, microbial community, T, P, pH) is essential for predicting microbial impacts on UHS wettability.