Bhavik Lodhia
Dr Bhavik Lodhia a Senior Geoscientist at the Department of Energy Mines Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS, Government of Western Australia) and a Visiting Scientist at CSIRO. He specialises in modelling basin-scale hydrogen migration for applications in natural hydrogen exploration, underground storage, and groundwater risk management. He serves as a Volume Editor at the Geological Society of London and a review editor for Frontiers in Earth Sciences, alongside his role as a peer reviewer for top Earth Science journals. Dr Lodhia was awarded a PhD in Geology and Geophysics from Imperial College London and an undergraduate degree from the University of Oxford. His work spans sediment dynamics, basin modelling, resource estimation, fluid dynamics, geodynamics, and geochemical tracing. Dr Lodhia holds honorary positions at Imperial College London and the University of New South Wales, Sydney, and was honoured with the Early Career Award at the 2023 Australasian Exploration Geoscience Conference. Active within the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysics, he served as Secretary of the NSW branch in 2022.
Bhavik Harish Lodhia1,3, Luk Peeters2, Ema Frery1
1CSIRO, 26 Dick Perry Avenue, Kensington, 6151, WA
2CSIRO, Waite Rd, Urrbrae SA 5064, SA
3DEMIRS, Mineral House, 100 Plain St, Perth, 6004, WA
Natural hydrogen has emerged as a promising clean energy resource, yet its migration through the Earth's subsurface is not fully understood. This presentation synthesises findings on hydrogen migration across various scales, from planetary origins to sedimentary basins.
We explore the mechanisms and timescales of hydrogen migration, emphasising both diffusive and advective transport processes. Key factors influencing hydrogen migration include geological structure, microbial activity, and subsurface environmental conditions such as salinity, temperature, and pressure. The study highlights the variability in migration timescales, which can range from thousands of years to days, and underscores the critical role of capillary pressure in controlling hydrogen flow regimes through different rock types.
Furthermore, we investigate hydrogen's journey from its origins in the Earth's mantle to its current migration patterns within the subsurface. Deep mantle hydrogen is characterised by specific isotopic signatures, such as high ³He/⁴He and low D/H ratios, distinguishing it from materials influenced by terrestrial and shallow Earth interactions. The origins of these isotopic ratios may be primordial or a result of fractionation processes. The study also addresses the complexities of modelling hydrogen migration, advocating for novel approaches to overcome the limitations of traditional reservoir and groundwater modelling techniques.
By providing a comprehensive understanding of hydrogen migration, this research offers valuable insights for advancing natural hydrogen exploration and developing effective underground storage solutions.
Keywords: hydrogen migration, sedimentary basins, deep Earth, diffusion, advection, geological modelling, capillary pressure, hydrogen storage
CSIRO
Senior Geoscientist
Register before Sept. 30 and save 10%. Places are limited for the face-to-face component.