The Conference Announcement is now available and contains basic conference details, including schedule, hotel registration and travel information. This information is repeated below, including registration options.
Conference Registration
Conference registration is now open for members and can be accessed by logging in. Non-member registration for in-person attendance opens 13 March. You must be registered in the SMRI database to register for both in-person or virtual attendance. Please click the Join Now button to register in the SMRI database.
Virtual Conference
The Spring 2024 Virtual Conference will be streamed live from Krakow on Monday, 22 April and Tuesday, 23 April. The Technical Session presentations will be recorded during the live conference and available on the virtual conference platform for viewing for 30 days after the Conference.
The optional Tech Class will be streamed on Sunday, 21 April and attendees will participate in the class trough the same platform as the Technical Sessions. The class will be streamed live only and not available for viewing afterwards. Members and non-members may register for the virtual conference at this time, once logged in.
Conference Information
Tech Class: Hydrogen Storage Considerations
The Technical Class, typically held on Sunday prior to the Technical Session, is designed to be an introductory course or refresher course for the variety of disciplines and management levels that work in the solution mining environment and with solution mined caverns. Hydrogen Cavern Storage Considerations was chosen as the topic for the Technical Class for Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 based on a survey by SMRI leadership to members.
With the current focus on energy security and efforts to reduce dependence on natural gas around the globe, energy companies and governments are racing to develop their hydrogen storage capacities. Although Natural gas storage caverns have been widely implemented for decades and much evaluation and literature has been developed concerning this, large scale development of hydrogen storage in salt caverns has been limited, but it has been proven feasible and safe. This class will help provide some of the answers needed to understand the peculiarities and similarities of hydrogen as compared to natural gas storage in caverns.
The SMRI has continued to be a leader in the mining and storage industry with many research projects and technical presentations over the past years. Of particular interest to attendees should be the recent completion of SMRI Research Report RR2023-1: Hydrogen Storage in Salt Caverns, Current Status and Potential Future Research Topics. The report provides an excellent overview with focus below:
• Status of research on hydrogen storage in salt caverns • Identify current status of the cavern industry’s knowledge • Consideration of recently ongoing research projects • Identify technical gaps • Identification of potential research topics, bases for developing RFPs
To provide further insight into these concepts, the SMRI has proposed a tentative list of topics for the Technical Class including:
• Overview of Hydrogen; Chemical/physical properties • Overview of Business drivers for Hydrogen Storage • Case histories of existing/ planned projects • Relevant considerations for geology, rock mechanics, & thermodynamic modeling • Material considerations in hydrogen applications • Regulatory considerations and testing
The SMRI does include in the schedule of the Technical Class sufficient time for questions and open discussion during the sessions. Additionally, the structure of the session breaks and lunch breaks are great opportunities to continue the discussion with cavern peers.
Monday Night Event
Join SMRI participants and guests to travel to the Wieliczka Salt Mine for an amazing journey, replete of huge galleries, salt sculptures, old machines, medieval mining tools, and emerald colored salt wells. Participants will be picked up at the hotel in large buses. Once at the mine, you will meet up with your official tour guide for a group visit. The passage for tourists only includes the first three levels. After the walkthrough, the group will meet in The Warszawa Chamber, an underground event space for dinner, drinks, and a musical treat. Load buses at 5:45 PM. Return about 11:30 PM.
Field Trips
Trips will take place on Wednesday 24 April, both will be available in English. More information will be available shortly.
Field Trip 1 Wieliczka Salt Mine and Wawel Royal Castle Tour From Neolithic times, sodium chloride was produced there from the upwelling brine. The Wieliczka salt mine, excavated from the 13th century, produced table salt continuously until 1996, as one of the world's oldest operating salt mines. The Wieliczka Salt Mine is now an official Polish Historic Monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its attractions include the shafts and labyrinth passageways, displays of historic salt-mining technology, an underground lake, four chapels and numerous statues carved by miners out of the rock salt, and more recent sculptures by contemporary artists...
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The group will see the mine within a guided tour; the route covers mine workings on different levels and connects with the Tourist Route, Mining Route, and Museum of Krakow Salt Works. The route passes through narrow passages, ladder compartments, staircases, chamber workings, and corridors, completing the route requires good physical condition. Due to the low and narrow passages, ladder ascents, and steep stairs, the route is not recommended for individuals with claustrophobia or mobility issues.
After lunch the group will travel back to Krakow to see the Wawel Royal Castle. The Wawel Royal Castle and the Wawel Hill on which it sits constitute the most historically and culturally significant site in Poland. The complex consists of numerous buildings of great historical and national importance, including the Wawel Cathedral where Polish monarchs were crowned and buried. Wawel Castle is now one of the Poland's premier art museums. Established in 1930, the museum encompasses ten curatorial departments responsible for collections of paintings, including an important collection of Italian Renaissance paintings, prints, sculpture, and textiles. There is a maximum of 50 spots available, so be sure to register early for this trip.
Field Trip 2 Bochnia Mine Tour The Bochnia Salt Mine in Bochnia, Poland, is one of the oldest salt mines in the world and is the oldest commercial company in Poland. In 2013, the mine was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as an extension of the Wieliczka Salt Mine inscription of 1978. The group will see the mine on different guided tour routes including the old mining areas and the ferry crossing...
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The Old Mountains Expedition allows to discover the oldest Bochnia mine workings, which have rarely before been made available to visitors, where rock salt was mined from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century. Further, the world’s only ferry crossing of an underground chamber flooded with brine is without a doubt the biggest attraction of the Bochnia mine. Visitors cross the distance of 120 m in chamber flooded with brine, accompanied by two raftsmen, who spin colorful tales of the mysterious recesses of the Bochnia mine.
Completing the route requires good physical condition. Due to the low and narrow passages, ladder ascents, and steep stairs, the route is not recommended for individuals with claustrophobia or mobility issues. The temperature in the mine is about 14-16°C (57-61°F), appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes are recommended. There is a maximum of 45 spots available, so be sure to register early for this trip.
Friends and Spouse Tours
Old Town Tour: Krakow Likes to Be Walked Monday, April 22 – 10am-1pm
If you are here for a quick visit, this tour includes all you need to see to legitimately say that you have been to Krakow. After our visit to the Old Town you will have all the background you need for a better experience in the city: you will have a good understanding of the turbulent history of Poland and you will know where to find the biggest pork chops, softest dumplings and chocolate vodka.
Jewish Krakow: Past & Present with Schindler's Factory Tour Tuesday, April 23 – 10am-2:30pm
As we delve into the heart of Kazimierz, often described as a "former" or "historic" Jewish quarter, you'll find that this neighborhood's rich past is intertwined with its vibrant present. You'll be surrounded by the old buildings that once housed synagogues, prayer houses, and townhouses. These structures hold secrets and stories, echoing with the voices of generations past. Kazimierz is more than just a repository of history; it's a living testament to the resilience and vitality of the Jewish spirit. Thanks to the active Jewish community that thrives here today, you'll discover how ancient biblical traditions are not just preserved but actively continued in the 21st century. To complete this immersive experience, we'll visit the Schindler's Factory Museum. This poignant stop offers a deeper understanding of the Holocaust's impact on the Jewish community in Krakow and the heroic efforts of those who sought to save lives during one of history's darkest chapters.
Travel Information
The Conference will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Krakow Hotel & Convention Center located at Dąbska 5, 31-572, Kraków. Each SMRI participant is responsible to book their own hotel reservations. More information will be provided in the near future. Access the hotel webpage here: https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/krkhxhx-5mr-bcfed688-fab0-4ab3-bfaa-bcb148dc844e/
Krakow is serviced by the John Paul II Kraków-Balice International Airport (KRK) located 12.5 miles from the DoubleTree.
SMRI thanks our sponsors of the Fall 2024 Krakow SMRI Conference:
