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Natural hydrogen occurs underground. In places where it occurs in high enough concentrations, it could be produced and used as a carbon free source of energy. When pure hydrogen is consumed for energy, the by-product is water vapour, making it an ideal fuel for a decarbonised energy future.

There are many well-known and scientifically proven processes which can generate hydrogen underground. The most important processes are:

• Water reacting with iron rich rocks underground in a chemical process called serpentinization.

• Water reacting with natural radioactive rocks underground in a process called radiolysis.

After being generated, hydrogen gas migrates upwards towards the surface and in some instances can become trapped, potentially forming an accumulation which can be exploited through drilling and production

Many hydrogen seeps have been reported globally as bubbles in alkaline lakes (Oman), burning gas seeps (Turkey) or mixed with other gasses when drilling for water, minerals or helium. Large volumes of natural hydrogen (millions of tonnes / year) are produced in mid ocean ridges.

The only producing well is the Bourakebougou Field in Mali, Africa where 98% natural hydrogen is produced from a shallow reservoir (approximately 110m deep) and is used as a low carbon energy source to generate electricity for a local village. The well has produced natural hydrogen for 7 years, with no loss of well pressure (most conventional gas wells gradually lose pressure with time) supporting a hypothesis that the reservoir is actively being replenished (Maiga et al 2023).

No. Fracking is not required to produce natural hydrogen.

All the hydrogen is the same substance. The colour refers to how it is made.

Green hydrogen is manufactured by the splitting of water using renewable electricity through a process called electrolysis.

Blue hydrogen is manufactured through steam methane reforming, which splits the methane molecule contained in natural gas into hydrogen and carbon dioxide.  The carbon dioxide is captured and stored underground. Grey hydrogen is also produced through steam methane reforming, but the carbon dioxide is not captured and is largely exhausted to the atmosphere.

Natural hydrogen is a naturally occurring source and does not need to be manufactured. It therefore is expected to have very low carbon emissions, probably lower than green hydrogen and much lower than blue or grey hydrogen. If found in commercial quantities, natural hydrogen is also likely to have the cheapest production cost, with a price comparable to natural gas.

Only a very small proportion of the Earth’s surface—less than 1%—has been drilled for oil, gas, or minerals. The vast majority of the planet remains unexplored. Furthermore, because of the nature of the sources of natural hydrogen it is unlikely to be found in the same locations as oil or gas fields.

Although there are still a lot of unknowns, it is expected that natural hydrogen will be explored for and harnessed in a similar way to oil and gas; through geological mapping, surveying and drilling of production wells, and can utilise much of this existing expertise.

Contrary to public perception hydrogen is actually safer than most commonly used fuels as it requires a higher oxygen concentration to burn and has a higher auto-ignition point than diesel and gasoline.  When hydrogen gas is released, it also escapes into the atmosphere far quicker than other natural gasses and does not pose the same environmental risks as crude oil when released.

Natural hydrogen can be transported using established methods such as road freight, maritime shipping, and pipeline networks. About 5 000 km of hydrogen pipelines are already in operation worldwide.