Search for Natural Hydrogen: Hidden Giant or Dream

Aliakbar Hassanpouryouzband et al. (authors) call for coordinated, large-scale geological exploration, regulatory adaptation, and investment to determine whether natural hydrogen can become an economically viable energy resource.

• Main announcement/action: The authors recommend accelerated large-scale exploration including deep drilling, advanced hydrogen detection techniques (e.g., high-resolution spectrometry, gas chromatography of formation brines), and regulatory changes and capital spending to test for major natural hydrogen fields; they note the only operational example is the small Bourakébougou field in Mali and provide a compiled GIS dataset in the Supporting Information.
• Background and details: The Viewpoint summarizes global occurrences (Mali, Australia, USA, Europe), highlights key trapping mechanisms (anticlines, salt domes, overpressured systems, permafrost), warns that hydrogen leakage is a climate risk that must be measured and controlled, and cites support details (D.S.S. acknowledges Horizon Europe grant no. 101137582, HYway); authors state that absent a “big” natural field, hydrogen farming (engineered subsurface generation) remains a fallback option.