British oil explorer adapts technology to hunt for 'white hydrogen'

French Lorraine Mining Basin can produce high-purity hydrogen at a depth of just 3,000 meters

British oil exploration says they have developed a detection method underground hydrogen deposits, trying to capitalize on the growing interest in the potential of natural clean fuels.

Leeds-based Getech has been helping fossil fuel companies analyze geological data for decades. data on crude oil and methane reserves. The company has now adapted its software methods to search for the so-called white hydrogen stored in the earth's crust.

Scientists have suggested more than 20 years ago that rocks deep below the earth's surface may contain gas, but in order to to get to it, drilling for several kilometers will be required.

However, a deposit discovered in France this year could produce high-purity hydrogen at depths as low as 3,000 meters.

The USGS said in April that there was likely enough hydrogen available to meet the global demand for «hundreds of years.»

Getech says its software can identify gas sweet spots using earth models and artificial intelligence.

Chairman Richard Bennett said: “Natural hydrogen is expected to become a major energy source in the future and we expect the exploration industry to be interested in leveraging our experience, especially given our track record of successfully discovering other types of energy sources and our ability to simply provide data. and compatibility.”

Hydrogen is seen as an important alternative to burning methane for industrial processes because it can burn at high temperatures, mixing with oxygen and water as the only by-product.

It is also a candidate for replacing gasoline in cars and trucks, heating homes and aircraft engines. But today, «green hydrogen» is produced either by splitting water molecules using renewable electricity, which is expensive, or «blue hydrogen» by splitting methane molecules and storing carbon dioxide, which is carbon intensive.

The US Department of Energy is developing plans to launch production of white hydrogen, considering the potential «astronomical».

Vyacheslav Zgonnik, a Ukrainian geologist, has calculated that the price of gas could fall to $1 per kilogram compared to the $3-4 he stands today, making it much more economical as a replacement for oil and gas.

Another prospector, Gold Hydrogen, discovered deposits with 80 percent hydrogen at a depth of 500 meters on the York Peninsula in South Australia.

In addition to being a good burner, hydrogen is also attractive because it can be stored, and storing electricity is more difficult and less efficient than using it right away.