Laura Blanco-Martin, Mines ParisTech, France
Undisturbed rock salt has very low porosity and permeability, and is therefore a very favorable host rock for underground storage of nuclear waste, hydrocarbons and other energy vectors, such as hydrogen. Experimental work at the laboratory scale and field observations suggest that micro-cracks may develop under specific thermo-mechanical and hydraulic conditions, increasing permeability and porosity. Healing/sealing processes are also observed under a propitious state. This session welcomes contributions related to fundamental aspects of flow in rock salt, as well as experimental work and numerical modeling that seek to better understand the evolution of flow pathways and coupled processes in this rock. Particularities of hydrogen storage in salt caverns are also welcome.