Underground hydrogen storage (UHS) in salt caverns is a sustainable energy solution to reduce global warming. Salt rocks provide an exceptional insulator to store natural hydrogen, as they have low porosity and permeability. Nevertheless, the salt creeping nature and hydrogen-induced impact on the operational infrastructure threaten the integrity of the injection/production wells. Furthermore, the scarcity of global UHS initiatives indicates that investigations on well integrity remain insufficient. This study strives to profoundly detect the research gap and imperative considerations for well integrity preservation in UHS projects. The research integrates the salt critical characteristics, the geomechanical and geochemical risks, and the necessary measurements to maintain well integrity. The casing mechanical failure was found as the most challenging threat. Furthermore, the corrosive and erosive effects of hydrogen atoms on cement and casing may critically put the well integrity at risk. The research also indicated that the simultaneous impact of temperature on the salt creep behavior and hydrogen-induced corrosion is an unexplored area that has scope for further research. This inclusive research is an up-to-date source for analysis of the previous advancements, current shortcomings, and future requirements to preserve well integrity in UHS initiatives implemented within salt caverns.

The optimization of drilling operations is an ongoing necessity since the major proportion of the terrestrial hydrocarbon reservoirs has been exhausted. Furthermore, there is a growing tendency among the space exploration agencies to drill the subsurface formations of the remote planets, such as the Moon and Mars. To optimize the drilling efficiency in such complicated conditions, the mechanical specific energy (MSE) must be efficiently reduced. The available MSE models incorporate the different parameters related to the surface rig, drill bit, and the underlying rocks to estimate the MSE values. In this research, the current status of those MSE models is assessed, and their relevant assumptions, limitations, applications, and pros and cons are profoundly argued. From the current scrutiny, it was deduced that the available MSE models require more geomechanical parameters to be included in their formulations. Furthermore, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques was identified as an effective solution to incorporate such geomechanical parameters in the MSE models. Moreover, the establishment of suitable MSE models for off-Earth drilling applications was also revealed to be very urgent and essential. The performed analyses together with the comparative assessments are contributing factors for the modification and establishment of future MSE models.

Hydraulic fracturing is a key method used in completion of shale gas wells as well as in well stimulation. There are a lot of factors affecting the hydraulic fracturing treatment; i.e. formation in-situ stresses, fracturing fluid properties, proppant, pumping rate, reservoir fluid and rock properties…etc. For predictive modeling, these factors are associated with a lot of uncertainties, since most of them are laboratory measured, calculated or subjectively estimated. Moreover, the precise contribution of each factor on the final fracturing result is unknown for each individual case. Therefore, for better treatment performance and in order to find the best range of designing parameters, a hydraulic fracturing predictive model that involves these uncertainties is required specially for newly exploited shale gas reservoir. In this paper a new uncertainty-based approach is described for hydraulic fracturing processes. It is based on assigning probability distribution for some variables and parameters used in the designing process. These probability distributions are used as input data for analytical equations that describe the fracturing processes. Monte Carlo Simulation technique is used to apply uncertainty-based values on the designing analytical formulas. A hypothetical hydraulic fracturing example is used to simulate the effect of different variables and designing parameters on the entire fracturing process. The simulation results are illustrated into probability distribution curves and variance-based sensitivity analysis is performed to assess the contribution and the correlation between different variables and outcomes. Fracture geometry is almost controlled by the injection fluid’s viscosity, in case of constant injection rate; while rock properties have insignificant effect on the fracture width compares to fracturing fluid’s effect. Therefore more emphases shall be directed to rheological modeling of the fracturing fluid. It is found also that fracture height, which is difficult to be estimated, is the most crucial parameter in the calculation of treatment size or the injected fluid’s volume. Proppant porosity, injected fluid viscosity and formation strength are slightly affecting propped fracture width, while proppant final concentration plays the main role of determining the calculated propped fracture width. It is observed from the simulation results that the initial formation permeability will extremely affect the post fracturing skin factor while other formation rock properties have almost no effect on the skin factor. Throughout the implementation of the uncertainty-based modeling approach for hydraulic fracturing process design, it is found that uncertainties in the value of many variables and parameters are slightly affecting the process outcomes. However, injected fluid viscosity, shale formation permeability and proppant final concentration are found to be the most influencing factors in the entire process. Therefore, it is highly recommended to perform in-depth study for these factors prior conducting any designing process of hydraulic fracturing.

Off-Earth drilling may be assumed as the second phase of space exploration to discover the unrevealed subsurface on the planetary bodies. It accelerates future space objectives such as in-situ propellant production, mineral exploitation, and space tourism. Owing to the rampant progress in modern technology, the new drill tools mounted on the sophisticated robots are capable to drill the planetary regolith dispersed on the celestial objects; however, formidable obstacles such as microgravity, vacuum condition, and temperature fluctuation as well as the weight limitation, lack of real-time drilling analysis, and remote robot-operator communication impose pressing restrictions on the quick development of space drilling tools. In this study, research on the past and present aspects of off-Earth drilling has been implemented to illuminate the horizon of this technology in the near-term future. The context encompasses a detailed description of the limitations, applications and mechanisms of the different drilling techniques adopted for planetary bodies. A particular emphasis is put on the hydraulic power systems which have not been satisfactorily deployed in off-Earth drilling yet. The research strives to glance over the pivotal aspects of off-Earth drilling to contribute to the future drilling programs planned by the national and private space agencies.

From the 2000s onwards, unprecedented space missions have brought about a wealth of novel investigations on the different aspects of space geomechanics. Such aspects are related to the exploratory activities such as drilling, sampling, coring, water extraction, anchoring, etc. So far, a whole range of constitutive research projects on the plate tectonics, morphology, volcanic activities and volatile content of planetary bodies have been implemented. Furthermore, various laboratory experiments on extraterrestrial samples and their artificial terrestrial simulants are continually conducted to obtain the physical and mechanical properties of the corresponding specimens. Today, with the space boom being steered by diverse space agencies, the incorporation of geomechanics into space exploration appreciably appears much needed. The primary objective of this article is to collate and integrate the up-to-date investigations related to the geomechanical applications in space technologies. Emphasis is given to the new and future applications such as planetary drilling and water extraction. The main impetus is to provide a comprehensive reference for geoscience scientists and astronauts to quickly become acquainted with the cutting-edge advancements in the area of space geomechanics. Moreover, this research study also elaborates on the operational constraints in space geomechanics which necessitate further scientific investigations.

The drilling-related geomechanics requires a better understanding of the encountered formation properties such as poroelastic parameters. This paper shows set of laboratory results of the dynamic Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio, and Biot’s coefficient for dry and water-saturated Istebna sandstone samples under a series of confining pressure conditions at two different temperatures. The predicted results from Wyllie’s equation were compared to the measured ones in order to show the effect of saturation on the rock weakening. A negative correlation has been identified between Poisson’s ratio, Biot’s coefficient and confining pressure, while a positive correlation between confining pressure and Young’s modulus. The predicted dynamic poroelastic rock properties using the P-wave value from Wyllie’s equation are different from measured ones. It shows the important influence of water saturation on rock strength, which is confirmed by unconfined compressive strength measurement. Linear equations have been fitted for the laboratory data and are useful for the analysis of coupled stress and pore pressure effects in geomechanical problems. Such results are useful for many drilling applications especially in evaluation of such cases as wellbore instability and many other drilling problems.