What is Natural Hydrogen?
Natural hydrogen is the first new primary energy source the world has found since nuclear power was developed in the 1950s. Watch how it forms, where it’s found, and why it’s gaining attention as a low-carbon energy source.
Full Transcript
0:00–0:03 What is Natural Hydrogen?
0:03–0:06 Hydrogen is the simplest element in the universe. But beneath the Earth’s surface, it is continuously created by powerful geological forces.
0:06–0:14 Natural hydrogen is hydrogen gas that exists organically underground. It is not manufactured or synthesized. It is generated by the Earth itself.
0:14–0:24 The process begins deep below the surface, where magma intrudes into existing rock layers, forming iron-rich source rocks. The foundation for natural hydrogen generation.
0:24–0:30 Over millions of years, layers of sediment accumulate above these rocks, hardening into dense sedimentary formations and burying the hydrogen source below.
0:30–0:34 As tectonic forces act on the Earth’s crust, these buried rocks are broken and uplifted. At the same time, the overlying sediments bend, forming broad, dome-shaped structures.
0:34–0:44 Groundwater then travels downward through fractures and faults, reaching the hydrogen-rich source rock.
0:44–0:59 When water interacts with minerals like olivine and pyroxene, they transform through a process known as serpentinization. As iron within the rock oxidizes, water molecules are split, releasing hydrogen gas.
As serpentinization continues, new cracks and pathways form, allowing more water to enter. Hydrogen production increases, and gas begins to escape through expanding pores and fractures.
0:59–1:10 The hydrogen migrates upward through the subsurface until it becomes trapped beneath impermeable, dome-shaped rock layers, forming natural underground hydrogen reservoirs.
1:10–1:20 Today, advances in subsurface science, geologic modeling, and data-driven exploration allow us to identify where these conditions exist.
1:20–1:26 Most hydrogen is produced using energy-intensive industrial processes. Natural hydrogen is different. It requires no external energy input for generation, just Earth’s own chemistry at work.
1:26–1:35 That difference gives natural hydrogen the potential for an exceptionally low carbon footprint.
1:35–1:40 Koloma combines deep geological expertise with proprietary technology to lead the discovery and responsible development of natural hydrogen worldwide.
Natural hydrogen isn’t just another fuel. It’s a new energy system, hidden in plain sight.