Vortex Energy’s Collaboration with the University of Alberta Receives Alberta Innovates Funding

The University of Alberta will receive a total of $1.2 million from the Government of Alberta, through Alberta Innovates, for the project titled “Field Trial of Hydrogen Storage in Canadian Domal and Bedded Salts”

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vortex Energy Corp. (CSE: VRTX | OTC: VTECF | FRA: AA3) ("Vortex” or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the collaborative project with the University of Alberta (“U of A”) alongside Keyera Corporation titled “Field Trial of Hydrogen Storage in Canadian Domal and Bedded Salts” will receive a total of $1.2 million from the Government of Alberta, through Alberta Innovates. As part of the collaboration, Vortex will provide the U of A with data, resources, and core samples from the Robinsons River Salt Project. In return, the U of A has agreed to perform laboratory and mathematical analyses with the intent of designing and implementing the first field trial of hydrogen storage in a domal salt in Canada at the Robinsons River Salt Project.

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The project is being supported by Alberta Innovates, in partnership with Natural Resources Canada, who is committing $22.5 million for 20 early-stage projects through the Hydrogen Centre of Excellence – Competition 2. There were a total of 95 expressions of interest received for this competition. The University of Alberta will have 24 months to complete the work for projects funded by Alberta Innovates.

Paul Sparkes, Chief Executive Officer, commented “We are proud to be collaborating with the University of Alberta and would like to congratulate Dr. Dehghanpour and his team for receiving follow-on funding from Alberta Innovates. Alberta is an energy systems leader and we believe this partnership will play a critical role in the development of the first field trial of hydrogen storage at the Robinsons River Salt Project in Newfoundland. I’d also like to thank our management team and consultants who have been working tirelessly to secure funding for this project.”

Building on its current fundamental research into hydrogen-rock interactions, the U of A team will develop protocols and guidelines to optimize locations, design specifications, and operational parameters for hydrogen storage in the salt caverns proposed to be developed at the Robinsons River Salt Project. To achieve this goal, the research team will conduct proof of concept experiments on core samples and simulation studies to identify and develop solutions for challenges related to containment and contamination of stored hydrogen. The findings are expected to help to develop a multi-physics model to predict hydrogen transport and reactions in the caverns proposed to be developed at the Robinsons River Salt Project as functions of temperature, pressure, in-situ stress, rock fabric and composition, and storage operational parameters.

Major laboratory infrastructure required for the proposed hydrogen-related experiments (core flooding systems, reactors, and visualization systems) have been recently designed and built under a previous grant awarded to the research team by Alberta Innovates Hydrogen Center of Excellence and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. As part of their partnership, Vortex and the U of A will actively seek out other provincial and federal grants available for hydrogen and green energy initiatives throughout North America. The Company is also exploring the opportunity to use developed hydrogen caverns for compressed air energy storage.

About the Hydrogen Centre of Excellence

The Hydrogen Centre of Excellence is a funding program, testing and service facility and a forum for facilitating partnerships to de-risk hydrogen technology development led by Alberta Innovates. The Centre received $50 million in funding from the Government of Alberta as an important component of Alberta’s Hydrogen Roadmap and Alberta’s Recovery Plan. The Hydrogen Centre of Excellence aims to accelerate technology and innovation across the hydrogen value chain to strengthen Alberta’s hydrogen economy. Its purpose is to provide innovation support across the entire hydrogen system, from production to end use. Learn more about the Hydrogen Centre of Excellence.

About Alberta Innovates

Alberta Innovates manages nearly 1,300 projects in a portfolio valued at $1.33 billion. It works with innovators in all sectors of the economy and all corners of Alberta to drive entrepreneurship, applied research and industry development. With impact-based funding programs and services, Alberta Innovates aims to transform energy systems for a net-zero world while promoting the responsible use of land and water, leveraging provincial strengths in agriculture, and contributing to improved health and well-being by harnessing digital tech and data. It is also advancing emerging technologies and strengthening entrepreneurship for a strong and diversified economy. Alberta Innovates has more than one million sq. ft of industrial testing and lab facilities and employs nearly 600 highly skilled scientists, business and technical professionals. Learn more about Alberta Innovates at https://albertainnovates.ca.

About Vortex Energy Corp.

Vortex Energy Corp. is an exploration stage company engaged principally in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in North America. The company is currently advancing its Robinson River Salt Project comprised of a total of 942 claims covering 23,500 hectares located approximately 35 linear kms south of the town of Stephenville in the Province of Newfoundland & Labrador. The Robinson River Salt Project is prospective for both salt and hydrogen salt cavern storage. The company is actively evaluating technologies to efficiently store hydrogen or energy in salt caverns. Vortex Energy Corp. also holds the Fire Eye Project, which is located in the Wollaston Domain of northern Saskatchewan, Canada.