UW Researchers Publish Article Examining Potential Use of Wyoming’s Trona Deposits for Underground Hydrogen Storage
Published August 01, 2025
Researchers at the University of Wyoming have published a pioneering study in the Journal of Energy Storage. The study represents the first investigation of its kind into the geomechanical and geochemical changes in trona following hydrogen exposure, assessing its potential for underground hydrogen storage.
The paper, titled “Impact of hydrogen storage on the characteristics and mechanical properties of trona deposits,” was written by the collaborative team of Ehsan Dabbaghi, a Ph.D. student in the UW Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management, working under the guidance of Kam Ng, the Provost’s Term Professorship Professor, and Tyler Brown, interim program manager of mineral research in the Center for Economic Geology Research housed in the School of Energy Resources (SER).
The same research team produced a similar study in 2024, examining the mechanical effects of hydrogen on the Hulett Sandstone formation.
“Underground hydrogen storage is a promising method for storing excess energy for future use,” Ng says. “There are many geologic formations in Wyoming that could serve as an ideal repository; however, the safe implementation of this technology necessitates a thorough evaluation of the potential alterations hydrogen might induce in the host rock.”
The concept of hydrogen storage in geological formations is relatively nascent, with considerable gaps in existing literature. Wyoming, boasting extensive trona deposits, presents a highly promising location for underground hydrogen storage. Understanding the mechanical properties of the host rock is paramount for ensuring formation stability and optimal storage capacity.
The latest research studied the impact of hydrogen on the mechanical properties of trona rock collected from Sweetwater County.
The study revealed significant findings regarding the interaction between hydrogen and the trona deposits, influencing the rock’s mechanical properties and microstructure. The researchers observed a decrease in the relative content of trona, natrite, dolomite and calcite after treatment with hydrogen. Furthermore, specimens treated with hydrogen exhibited, on average, a 33 percent lower strength. Conversely, an average 166 percent increase in elastic modulus was observed in trona after hydrogen treatment.
“The results of this study really showcase the need to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the layering and mineralogy of the host formation before planning any storage operations,” Brown says. “This research builds upon existing studies, further exploring the potential and significantly expanding the scholarship in this crucial area. This is particularly significant given the study’s focus on trona, a mineral already vital to Wyoming's extractive industry, which could play a critical role in the emerging hydrogen economy.”
Funding for the study was made possible by SER’s Hydrogen Energy Research Center (H2ERC) and is the result of the “Hydrogen: Make, Move, Use or Store” initiative that supported UW faculty-led projects investigating topics across all levels of the hydrogen supply chain.
A preview of the full article, that is scheduled to be published in October, can be viewed at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352152X25025198?dgcid=coauthor.
