Natural hydrogen

Natural hydrogen (known as white hydrogen, geologic hydrogen,^[1] geogenic hydrogen,^[2] or gold hydrogen), is hydrogen that is formed by natural processes^[3][4] (as opposed to hydrogen produced in a laboratory or in industry). By contrast green hydrogen is produced from renewable energy sources, while grey, brown, blue or black hydrogen are obtained from fossil fuels.^[5]

Natural hydrogen may be renewable, it is non-polluting, and may offer lower costs than industrial hydrogen.^[6] Natural hydrogen has been identified in many source rocks in areas beyond the sedimentary basins where oil companies typically operate.^[7][8][9]

Sources of natural hydrogen include:^[10]

• degassing of deep hydrogen from Earth's crust and mantle;^[11]
• reaction of water with ultrabasic rocks (serpentinisation);
• water in contact with reducing agents in Earth's mantle;
• weathering – water in contact with freshly exposed rock surfaces;
• decomposition of hydroxyl ions in the structure of minerals;
• natural water radiolysis;
• decomposition of organic matter;
• biological activity

Serpentinization is thought to produce approximately 80% of the world's hydrogen, especially as seawater interacts with iron- and magnesium-rich (ultramafic) igneous rocks in the ocean floor. Current models point towards radiolysis as the source of most other natural hydrogen.

According to the Financial Times, there are 5 trillion tons of natural hydrogen resources worldwide.^[1] Most of this hydrogen is likely dispersed too widely to be economically recoverable, but the U.S. Geological Survey has reported that even a fractional recovery could meet global demand for hundreds of years. A discovery in Russia in 2008 suggests the possibility of extracting native hydrogen in geological environments.^{[citation needed]} Resources have been identified in France,^[12] Mali, the United States, and approximately a dozen other countries.^[13]

An accumulation of natural hydrogen was discovered in a water well in Bourakébougou, Mali, that was exploited to power the nearby village.^[14] As of August 2024, this remains the only operating hydrogen well in the world. Hydroma, the company responsible for identifying the resource, has since drilled 30 more exploration holes nearby. In 2023 Pironon and de Donato announced the discovery of a deposit they estimated to be some 46 million to 260 million metric tons (several years worth of 2020s production).^[14] In 2024, a natural deposit of helium and hydrogen was discovered in Rukwa, Tanzania.^[15], as well in Bulqizë, Albania.^[16]

White hydrogen could be found or produced in the Mid-continental Rift System at scale. Water could be pumped down to hot iron-rich rock to produce hydrogen for extraction.^[17] Dissolving carbon dioxide in these fluids could allow for simultaneous carbon sequestration through carbonation of the rocks. The resulting hydrogen would be produced through a carbon-negative pathway and has been referred to as "orange" hydrogen.^[18]

Natural hydrogen is generated from various sources. Many hydrogen emergences have been identified on mid-ocean ridges.^[19] Serpentinisation occurs frequently in the oceanic crust; many targets for exploration include portions of oceanic crust (ophiolites) which have been obducted and incorporated into continental crust. Aulacogens such as the Midcontinent Rift System of North America are also viable sources of rocks which may undergo serpentinisation.^[17]

Diagenetic origin (iron oxidation) in the sedimentary basins of cratons, notably are found in Russia.

Mantle hydrogen and hydrogen from radiolysis (natural electrolysis) or from bacterial activity are under investigation. In France, the Alps and Pyrenees are suitable for exploitation.^[20] New Caledonia has hyperalkaline sources that show hydrogen emissions.^[21]

Hydrogen is soluble in fresh water, especially at moderate depths as solubility generally increases with pressure. However, at greater depths and pressures, such as within the mantle,^[22] the solubility decreases due to the highly assymetric nature of mixtures of hydrogen and water.

Vladimir Vernadsky originated the concept of natural hydrogen captured by the Earth in the process of formation from the post-nebula cloud. Cosmogonical aspects were anticipated by Fred Hoyle. From 1960–2010, V.N. Larin developed the Primordially Hydridic Earth concept^{[23][dubious – discuss]} that described deep-seated natural hydrogen prominence^[24] and migration paths.

• Larin V.N. 1975 Hydridic Earth: The New Geology of Our Primordially Hydrogen-Rich Planet (Moscow: Izd. IMGRE) in Russian
• V.N. Larin (1993). Hydridic Earth, Polar Publishing, Calgary, Alberta. Hydridic Earth: the New Geology of Our Primordially Hydrogen-rich Planet
• Our Earth. V.N. Larin, Agar, 2005 (rus.) Наша Земля (происхождение, состав, строение и развитие изначально гидридной Земли)
• Lopez-Lazaro, Cristina; Bachaud, Pierre; Moretti, Isabelle; Ferrando, Nicolas (2019). "Predicting the phase behavior of hydrogen in NaCl brines by molecular simulation for geological applications". BSGF – Earth Sciences Bulletin. 190: 7. doi:10.1051/bsgf/2019008. S2CID 197609243.
• Gaucher, Éric C. (February 2020). "New Perspectives in the Industrial Exploration for Native Hydrogen". Elements: An International Magazine of Mineralogy, Geochemistry, and Petrology. 16 (1): 8-9. Bibcode:2020Eleme..16....8G. doi:10.2138/gselements.16.1.8.
• Gaucher, Éric C.; Moretti, I.; Gonthier, N.; Pélissier, N.; Burridge, G. (June 2023). "The place of natural hydrogen in the energy transition: A position paper". European Geologist Journal (55). doi:10.5281/zenodo.8108239. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
• Deville, Eric; Prinzhofer, Alain (November 2016). "The origin of N2-H2-CH4-rich natural gas seepages in ophiolitic context: A major and noble gases study of fluid seepages in New Caledonia". Chemical Geology. 440: 139–147. Bibcode:2016ChGeo.440..139D. doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2016.06.011.
• Gregory Paita, Master Thesis, Engie & Université de Montpellier.^{[title missing]}
• Moretti I., Pierre H. Pour la Science, special issue in partnership with Engie, vol. 485; 2018. p. 28. N march. Moretti I, D'Agostino A, Werly J, Ghost C, Defrenne D, Gorintin L. Pour la Science, special issue, March 2018, vol 485, 24 25XXII_XXVI.^{[title missing]}
• Prinzhofer, Alain; Moretti, Isabelle; Françolin, Joao; Pacheco, Cleuton; D'Agostino, Angélique; Werly, Julien; Rupin, Fabian (March 2019). "Natural hydrogen continuous emission from sedimentary basins: The example of a Brazilian H2-emitting structure" (PDF). International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. 44 (12): 5676–5685. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.01.119. S2CID 104328822.
• Larin, Nikolay; Zgonnik, Viacheslav; Rodina, Svetlana; Deville, Eric; Prinzhofer, Alain; Larin, Vladimir N. (September 2015). "Natural Molecular Hydrogen Seepage Associated with Surficial, Rounded Depressions on the European Craton in Russia". Natural Resources Research. 24 (3): 369–383. Bibcode:2015NRR....24..369L. doi:10.1007/s11053-014-9257-5. S2CID 128762620.
• Zgonnik, Viacheslav; Beaumont, Valérie; Deville, Eric; Larin, Nikolay; Pillot, Daniel; Farrell, Kathleen M. (December 2015). "Evidence for natural molecular hydrogen seepage associated with Carolina bays (surficial, ovoid depressions on the Atlantic Coastal Plain, Province of the USA)". Progress in Earth and Planetary Science. 2 (1): 31. Bibcode:2015PEPS....2...31Z. doi:10.1186/s40645-015-0062-5. S2CID 55277065.
• Prinzhofer, Alain; Tahara Cissé, Cheick Sidy; Diallo, Aliou Boubacar (October 2018). "Discovery of a large accumulation of natural hydrogen in Bourakébougou (Mali)". International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. 43 (42): 19315–19326. Bibcode:2018IJHE...4319315P. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.08.193. S2CID 105839304.
• Zgonnik, Viacheslav (1 April 2020). "The occurrence and geoscience of natural hydrogen: A comprehensive review". Earth-Science Reviews. 203: 103140. Bibcode:2020ESRv..20303140Z. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2020.103140. S2CID 213202508.
• Prinzhofer, Alain; Deville, Éric (2015). Hydrogène naturel, la prochaine révolution énergétique. Humensis. ISBN 978-2-410-00335-2. OCLC 1158938704.
• Moretti, Isabelle (22 May 2020). "L'hydrogène naturel : curiosité géologique ou source d'énergie majeure dans le futur ?". Connaissance des énergies (in French).
• Trégouët, René (17 July 2020). "L'hydrogène naturel pourrait devenir une véritable source d'énergie propre et inépuisable..." RT Flash (in French).
• Rigollet, Christophe; Prinzhofer, Alain (2022). "Natural Hydrogen: A New Source of Carbon-Free and Renewable Energy That Can Compete with Hydrocarbons". First Break. 40 (10): 78–84. Bibcode:2022FirBr..40j..78R. doi:10.3997/1365-2397.fb2022087. S2CID 252679963.
• Osselin, F., Soulaine, C., Faugerolles, C., Gaucher, E.C., Scaillet, B., and Pichavant, M., 2022, Orange hydrogen is the new Green: Nature Geoscience.

• Pure-play helium
• Electrofuel
• Hydrogen economy
• Hydrogen production
• Combined cycle hydrogen power plant
• Hydrogen fuel cell power plant