“Natural” or “Geological” Hydrogen is frequently highlighted as a potential low-cost, carbon-free alternative source for the global energy transition. While most industry seminars focus heavily on upstream subsurface exploration, source mechanisms, and generation rates, this intermediate-level course takes a different, highly practical approach.

This course is developed and instructed by Dr. Arnout Everts (AEGeo Sdn Bhd), an expert geoscientist and certified EuroGeologist with 35 years of energy-industry experience.

Assuming hydrogen sources have been successfully identified in an area, this program analyzes the commercial viability, engineering constraints, and extraction realities of moving a project from discovery to deployment. Through real-life asset examples and analogue petroleum-exploitation concepts, participants will explore how hydrogen accumulates in the subsurface, how much can realistically be recovered, what production rates are sustainable, and what surface processing facilities are required to meet industrial supply demands.

The main objective of the course is to provide participants with an understanding of the commercial exploitation potential of natural-hydrogen prospects in different settings (geological, geographical, industrial-supply opportunities).

“Natural” or “Geological” Hydrogen is highlighted as a potential low-cost alternative source for the Energy Transition. 

Existing seminars and papers on natural hydrogen typically focus on the exploration aspects especially the understanding of hydrogen source-mechanisms and generation rates in the subsurface. However, to assign a commercial value to natural hydrogen exploration potential, one needs to start considering what possible exploitation projects might look like and what challenges (technical, commercial, environmental) these may face.

This seminar therefore takes a different approach. Assuming that exploration/research has successfully identified hydrogen sources in an area or province we then analyze, based on a combination of asset examples and analogue petroleum-exploitation concepts:

• How much hydrogen could concentrate or accumulate in the subsurface, in different settings and geological sites;
• How much hydrogen could be recovered from a subsurface site, at what rates and for how long;
• What development projects of such sites might look like. What kind of sites and projects could meet industrial supply. What would it take to mature a project from exploration through appraisal to eventual development and commercialization.

Upon completion of the course, participants will understand the differences between the three basic play-types for natural hydrogen (aqueous hydrogen seepages, adsorbed hydrogen and trapped hydrogen gas) and why exploitation potential is very different depending on play type. Participants will understand some of the key factors that control attractiveness of different prospects and plays:

• Pressure and Phase of Hydrogen in the Subsurface
• Reservoir Quality and Resource Density of Hydrogen In-Place
• Applicable Drive Mechanisms and indicative Recovery Efficiency
• Potential well Production Rates

Participants will be guided through the assessment of hydrogen Unit Technical Cost (UTC) based on actual case studies. They will get to appreciate that for full, comprehensive analysis of the potential value of natural hydrogen exploration-prospects it is important not only assess prospective hydrogen resource-volumes but also estimate, based on data from the prospect or relevant analogues, at what rates this hydrogen could be extracted, what this would involve in terms of drilling and facilities and what by-products (e.g., water, other gases) would be co-produced. Finally, participants will gain an understanding of the steps involved in maturing a natural hydrogen project, from exploration through appraisal to eventual development and commercialization and again based on actual case-examples.