Hydrogen has long been known to scientists and industry as an invisible, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, and very diffusive gas; largely produced by chemical means or electrolysis. Now, scientists have discovered that many places in the Earth’s crust are seeping natural hydrogen gas, previously unknown due to hydrogen’s properties.

This natural (geological) hydrogen gas does not originate from carbon based materials. It is a non-fossil fuel, pollution free resource which may greatly reduce the carbon-dioxide output of the transportation and chemical industries that is currently contributing to global warming.

These seeps have been found to range from relatively small to large circular areas, which can individually vent enormous amounts of gas. Some of these vents can be dated to hundreds of thousands of years. Others are recent. A few have fires that cannot be extinguished, which have been burning for longer than recorded time. One fire in Turkey is claimed to be the origin of the Olympic Flame (on the picture).

The obvious question, “What is the extent of this newly identified source of hydrogen and can it become a useful solution for the energy and chemical needs of mankind?”

In 2013, a team of geologists, chemists and engineers, all with extensive experience in hydrogen research, formed Natural Hydrogen Energy Ltd (NH2E), with the goal to find an answer to that question. NH2E then began a search for hydrogen vents, which included many countries and thousands of soil gas tests; headed by geologist Nikolay Larin. In 2015, NH2E discovered substantial hydrogen flows in many parts of the USA. Dr. Viacheslav Zgonnik, project manager, estimated some hydrogen sources were venting as much as several metric tons per day.

The market for hydrogen gas is rapidly expanding for fuel cell vehicles and includes fertilizer, like anhydrous ammonia made from hydrogen and nitrogen. Anhydrous ammonia production recently totaled 160 million metric tons per year. Currently, the most common process used for hydrogen generation requires the decomposition of natural gas (resulting in the release of CO2). This accounts for 5% of US natural gas consumption.

There is a growing need for clean, cheap and sustainable hydrogen and NH2E proposes to drill directly into hydrogen vents for clean hydrogen gas. It should be noted that there are already several examples of hydrogen-producing wells in the world; all drilled accidentally.

Currently, NH2E is seeking like-minded individuals or companies with an interest in joining in our discovery drilling program that may create a new industry with high profits. NH2E already has numerous potentially profitable mineral leases in several states, with approved drilling permits. Charles Odendhal, Administrator for NH2E, wrote recently, “There must be millions of active hydrogen vents worldwide and the recovery of such abundant hydrogen should easily replace any dependence on fossil fuels.”