Hidden Vaults in the Salt Beneath Our Feet
TRIF grant supports collaboration on bedded salt deposits to support geologic storage research in Arizona.
— Tucson, AZ —
Left: U of A geologists Tawya Wilson, Lisa Thompson and Brian Gootee more than 2,000 feet below ground at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, New Mexico; Right: Tawnya Wilson at her AZGS office near the U of A main campus and Brian Gootee on screen.
Arizona geologists are well aware of the energy storage potential hidden within the state's vast underground salt deposits—and so is the government.
"The federal government knows that energy storage is critical to the Fourth Industrial Revolution," said Brian Gootee, senior research geologist and tribal liaison with the Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS) at the University of Arizona. "Bedded salt deposits represent resilience in our critical energy infrastructure."
A $50,000 grant from the Technology Research Initiative Fund (TRIF) enabled AZGS geologists Brian Gootee, Tawnya Wilson and Lisa Thompson to collaborate with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in New Mexico to study core samples from Arizona's salt beds to advance the lab's research on underground hydrogen storage solutions.
Gootee emphasized storing gases in underground salt caverns has a long track record of safety and reliability. "Any energy storage technology has inherent risks, especially explosivity," he explained. "So it's about managing those risks. Bedded salt deposits offer big advantages in hydrogen storage. The capacity is immense—some of Arizona's deposits reach depths of 8,000 feet. When salt fractures, it heals itself, like toothpaste flowing back into place. No other rock behaves like that." He added that these underground sites have utility beyond hydrogen storage, as they are useful for storing other gases and disposing of salt waste beneath bedded salts.
The researchers agreed that one of the project's most valuable outcomes was the strengthened relationship with LANL and related institutions. A highlight for Tawnya Wilson was visiting the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, New Mexico, with their LANL project colleagues. "They conduct research 2,150 feet underground," she said. "It was incredible to go down there and witness their experiments firsthand."
The TRIF grant also enabled the team to attend the Solution Mining Research Institute Conference, where they gained insight into the latest engineering protocols for existing salt caverns worldwide and forged valuable new connections.
The collaboration improved relationships with key Arizona stakeholders, including the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, the Governor's Office, energy utilities and industry partners. "When we tell stakeholders that we're working with LANL, it carries weight," said Gootee.
Another benefit was the project's contribution to campus collaboration. "Initially, the university wasn't quite sure how to integrate AZGS when we moved to campus," Gootee said. "The grant contributed to working closely with departments across the university, cementing relationships that benefit everyone. We're excited to continue expanding those connections."
Looking ahead, the AZGS team and LANL researchers plan to apply for additional funding through the DOE Energy Frontier Research Centers. "We're in a great position now," Wilson said with a smile. "This project gave us a springboard for future proposals."