Scientists and startups believe naturally occurring hydrogen trapped underground could represent the next major geological breakthrough, potentially unlocking vast quantities of hydrogen to help power the clean energy transition.
Researchers in the United States, Canada and Australia are working to map and identify potential sources of what is known as geological hydrogen or white hydrogen, which would be extracted from underground rather than produced through electrolysis using renewable energy, the method currently used to produce so-called green hydrogen.
Several major discoveries in recent months have raised hopes that natural hydrogen extracted from subsurface rocks could emerge as an alternative to green hydrogen production, which remains costly and has fallen short of expectations in recent years. A wide gap persists between projects that have been announced and those that have actually entered operation, largely because of high costs and difficulties securing offtake agreements.
With enthusiasm for green hydrogen cooling somewhat, researchers and mining companies are exploring another route to hydrogen production: extracting naturally occurring hydrogen from underground rocks.
Australian discovery could pave the way for a new industry
The latest breakthrough that could potentially give rise to an entirely new industry was announced in Australia, where scientists discovered a potentially vast source of hydrogen in iron ore deposits in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
The study, published by researchers from Edith Cowan University’s School of Engineering in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, focused on magnetite found in iron ore deposits.
Researchers conducted experiments by exposing magnetite samples to water at a temperature of 200 degrees Celsius and under high-pressure conditions for 60 days, replicating the environment deep below the Earth’s surface.
The researchers said they had identified a way to stimulate hydrogen production by injecting a solution into banded iron formations, significantly increasing the potential to harness this naturally occurring resource.
According to the research team, the study provides one of the clearest insights yet into how natural hydrogen forms underground and the conditions required to sustain its production.
“Western Australia has some of the largest banded iron formations in the world. If we can unlock this resource at scale, it could be transformative for our energy future,” said the study’s lead researcher, Kaveh Moghaddamrahimi.
Professor Stefan Iglauer of Edith Cowan University’s School of Engineering said the experiment could help bridge the gap between laboratory studies and real-world hydrogen exploration.
“Our results show that hydrogen production is not only about how much magnetite is present, but also how easily water can reach fresh mineral surfaces through fractures, pores and permeable pathways,” Iglauer said.
Canada uncovers hydrogen potential in ancient rocks
The Australian study came shortly after Canadian geochemists at the University of Toronto and the University of Ottawa discovered earlier this year that hydrogen gas is steadily accumulating within the Canadian Shield, which contains some of the oldest rocks on Earth.
The researchers mapped natural hydrogen concentrations and tracked its long-term accumulation at one location, allowing them to assess the potential for hydrogen exploration.
“The data from this study point to significant, untapped local opportunities to access a low-cost energy source generated by the rocks beneath our feet,” said lead author Professor Barbara Sherwood Lollar of the Department of Earth Sciences in the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Arts & Science.
“Natural hydrogen is produced over time through underground chemical reactions between rocks and the groundwater contained within those rocks,” Sherwood Lollar added.
“Canada is fortunate to have vast areas, particularly across the Canadian Shield, containing the right rocks and minerals to generate this natural hydrogen,” she said.
Exploration gathers pace in Canada and the US
In Canada, domestic company MAX Power Mining has already begun exploring for white hydrogen, with drilling underway on a third verification well to a depth of 2,278 meters, or 7,473 feet, at the Lawson complex in southern Saskatchewan.
Exploration has also begun in the United States.
For example, Australia-listed HyTerra is conducting white hydrogen production testing at its Nemaha project in Kansas, while also carrying out well testing at its Geneva project in Nebraska.
“Establishing a commercial geologic hydrogen project remains our clear objective,” HyTerra Chief Executive Riley Kempt said last month, commenting on production testing results from the McCoy-1 well at the Nemaha project.
Last year, the US Geological Survey (USGS) published the first-ever map showing prospective areas for naturally occurring geologic hydrogen resources in the United States.
The map identified several areas of interest that could contain accumulations of geologic hydrogen, including the Midcontinent region covering Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota and Michigan; the Four Corners states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah; the California coast; and areas along the US East Coast.
