b'CommentaryEnvironmental geophysicsunderwater vehicle, or underwaterproject than I expectedand in allFor more information on this and other drone, will be used for direct observationseriousness have not gotten very farsimilar projects please contact the and ground-truthing of other datasetsin understanding the underlying EUinternational team of seagrass experts along 4000km of coast (Figure 1)bureaucracy. While this particular project(maybe more correctly hydrography (https://www.fugro.com/news/press- is undoubtedly valuable (\x1enanciallyexperts) at Fugro who provided me releases/2024/fugro-maps-seagrass- and environmentally), the scale is mindinformation for this article: Serge around-italy-in-a-groundbreaking- blowing, touching nearly all aspects ofvan de Ven, Director Brand and ecosystem-restoration-project). Italian life. And I am sure that Italy willCommunication; Marco Filippone, Global not be the only bene\x1eciary. One can onlySolutions Director Ocean Science and I have to say that I spent more timefantasise about similar projects gettingHydrography; and Hugh Parker, Solution on the economics of the overallo\x1f the ground in Australasia. Owner for Hydrography.HENDERSON BYTE: Natural hydrogen is the gas for the future.Natural hydrogen, also known as geologic hydrogen or goldThis is the only time that extra energy is needed. Drilling of a hydrogen, is a particular type of hydrogen gas that occursstimulation area in the Hajar mountains of Oman is planned naturally in the subsurface. Unlike other common forms offor later this year (New Scientist 3 February 2024).hydrogen that require extraction or conversion from gases, some resulting in the production of carbon dioxide, naturalNatural hydrogen has already been detected in many parts hydrogen produces no CO 2when burned, releasing onlyof the world, often when drilling for fossil fuels, and seen water vapour and heat. bubbling to the surface in lakes. Underground reservoirs occur in USA, the mantle basement of the Pyrenees Global warming and the need to achieve zero emissionsmountains of France and Spain and the mantle rocks in now provides more incentive to search for and exploit thisOman. New Scientist (17 February 2024) reports on the type of hydrogen which is inexpensive and sustainable.largest \x1cow of natural hydrogen gas ever seen bubbling in A successful natural hydrogen well has the potential towater in a chromite mine in Albania. In this case the reacting produce for decades and at a signi\x1ecantly lower cost thaniron-rich rocks are ophiolite. Modelling suggests more other forms of manufactured hydrogen. hydrogen is stored deeper underground. Indeed, this idea to look deeper may be true of other occurrences.There are some geological processes that produce the hydrogen naturally. One is a high-temperature reactionRecent revised modelling by the USGS suggests that there called serpentinisation which occurs when water is incould enough hydrogen gas to meet projected demand contact with iron-rich rocks transforming them intoforcenturies.serpentine minerals. For example, the iron in olivine (a primary component of the Earths mantle), oxidises byIn Australia, new companies have recently been established capturing the oxygen from water and releasing hydrogen.to focus on natural hydrogen. For example, HyTerra, based A recent occurrence of natural hydrogen formed in this wayin Perth, has an interest in a venture with Natural Hydrogen has been observed in Oman where iron-rich peridotite ofEnergy USA which involved the worlds \x1erst well speci\x1ecally the mantle is thrust upwards.targeting hydrogen. Gold Hydrogen, based in Brisbane, holds leases on the Yorke Peninsular where in October 2023 A second mechanism to produce natural hydrogen isRamsay 1 well was drilled to 1005 m. Hydrogen purity levels radiolysis of water, in which radioactive rocks split the H 2 0were up to 86% and strong levels of helium were also found. molecules into its component atoms. The hydrogen thenRamsay 2 followed in November 2023 to a depth of 1068m. migrates away from the radioactive rocks to accumulateSources of naturally occurring hydrogen have also been underground possibly in a fracture system. identi\x1eed on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia where H2EX, based in Perth, has an exploration license covering Exploitation of natural hydrogen needs minimal6000 km2 and otherprospective acreage of 52000 km2. infrastructure.Clearing a very small footprint and drilling a shallow borehole compares favourably to the installationsFurther developments from these companies will be of solar panels and wind generators requiring tens ofofinterest.thousands of hectares of land. Should the amount of gas be insu\x1bcient, or the supply is declining, the oxidisation processRoger Hendersoncan be stimulated by pumping in water or heating the rock.E rogah@tpg.com.auFollow all our socials for the latest updates!E C D Q M k32 PREVIEWAPRIL 2024'