The Evolution of White Hydrogen: Technological Advances and Regulatory Changes
A well in Kansas recorded 96.1% hydrogen in 2023 — a signal that H₂ produced by nature could be commercially exploitable. As nations strive to decarbonize and secure cleaner energy sources, white hydrogen has emerged as a viable and under-explored frontier.
White hydrogen, also known as natural or geological hydrogen, refers to hydrogen gas naturally generated and trapped in the Earth's crust. Unlike green hydrogen (electrolysis powered by renewables) or blue hydrogen (hydrocarbon reforming with carbon capture), white hydrogen is naturally formed in underground reservoirs, with no industrial process. This difference gives it a unique advantage: an ultra-low carbon footprint, estimated to be 50 times lower than the emissions from gray hydrogen production.
Is white hydrogen renewable? While technically not renewable in the traditional sense, certain deposits could regenerate continuously through ongoing geological processes, such as water reacting with certain minerals. This potential for self-renewal has led researchers to suggest a "nearly infinite supply" if hydrogen is constantly regenerated.
Cutting-Edge Technologies Driving Exploration
Innovation is rapidly unlocking previously unknown or inaccessible natural hydrogen resources. Advanced detection technologies, geophysical surveys, and adapted drilling techniques are transforming white hydrogen from a geological curiosity into a potentially commercial energy source.
Revolutionary Detection Technology
The most significant breakthrough comes from France, where researchers have developed the SysMoG probe in collaboration with Solexperts AG. This device can continuously sample and analyze dissolved gases in groundwater to approximately 1,200 meters depth. This probe represents a world first in continuous in situ gas monitoring. Using the SysMoG probe, the GeoRessources Laboratory team discovered the potentially massive Lorraine basin deposit. Their measurements showed hydrogen concentrations reaching approximately 14% at 1,100 meters, with concentrations increasing with depth. Based on geochemical modeling, researchers estimate that the content could approach 90% at 3,000 meters depth.
In Quebec, Caron Technologies International (CTI) illustrates the same innovation logic with its carbon-neutral drilling rigs. Developed to minimize the environmental impact of drilling, these electrified and compact platforms—such as the tracked mini drill—enable precision drilling up to 1,000 m, while reducing ground footprint and energy consumption. This equipment, designed for geothermal and sustainable exploration projects, integrates perfectly into the new era of clean resource prospecting.
Advanced Seismic and Geophysical Mapping
Beyond downhole probes, exploration companies are deploying sophisticated geophysical techniques adapted from oil and gas exploration. Gold Hydrogen conducted a 650 km² 2D seismic survey on its Ramsay project in South Australia in late 2024. These surveys help map underground geological structures likely to trap hydrogen.
Surface detection methods are also evolving. Researchers use surface gas sensors and even satellite imagery to identify telltale signs of hydrogen seeps. In Australia, distinctive vegetation patterns called "fairy circles" have been linked to hydrogen gas escaping from the subsurface, killing vegetation around seepage zones.
Regulatory Frameworks Fostering Growth
The emergence of white hydrogen has prompted governments to develop new legal and regulatory frameworks, essential to provide the certainty that investors and exploration companies need.
France: Leading the Regulatory Charge
France has adopted the most proactive position. In 2023, the French government amended its mining code to explicitly allow the granting of licenses for natural hydrogen exploration and production. In December 2023, TBH2 Aquitaine became the first company to obtain an exclusive exploration permit for natural hydrogen in metropolitan France. This pioneering approach positions France as a potential European hub for white hydrogen research and development.
Australia: State-Level Innovation
Australia has rapidly become a hotspot for exploration, thanks to state government support. The South Australian government has gone beyond regulatory clarity to provide financial support, offering grants to companies like Gold Hydrogen Ltd. to help their field testing programs. This proactive combination of clear regulation and financial incentives has led Australia to host numerous white hydrogen companies, including Gold Hydrogen, H₂AU, and HyTerra. The result could be one of the world's first commercial-scale white hydrogen projects if the abundant resources being explored prove economically viable.
United States: Building the Foundations
In North America, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has launched a systematic mapping program to identify rock formations likely to generate or trap hydrogen. Simultaneously, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has launched research and development initiatives to support exploration technologies, including ARPA-E projects funding the development of new underground sensors and geochemical modeling. While U.S. policy has primarily focused on green hydrogen through initiatives like the Hydrogen Earthshot, natural hydrogen is increasingly recognized as a complementary pathway.
International Collaboration: IEA Task 49
Recognizing the global nature of white hydrogen's potential, the International Energy Agency created Task 49: Natural Hydrogen within its Hydrogen Technology Collaboration Programme. Launched in 2024, this task force brings together experts from 16 countries to share research, coordinate exploration best practices, and advise on how natural hydrogen could integrate into national energy strategies.
Who is Exploring Natural Hydrogen's Potential?
The most significant market signal came in January 2025 when BP became the first oil supermajor to invest in a natural hydrogen startup, leading a Series A funding round for UK-based Snowfox Discovery. BP Ventures, joined by Rio Tinto and Oxford Science Enterprises, injected capital to accelerate exploration programs. This investment brings operational expertise, global reach, and established infrastructure.
A Growing Ecosystem
In Quebec, Ressources et Énergie Squatex Inc., in partnership with Caron Technologies International (CTI), plays a key role in applied research on natural hydrogen. Squatex positions itself as a pioneer in identifying geological contexts favorable to white hydrogen generation, while CTI develops the adapted and sustainable drilling technologies necessary for this exploration. Together, they form an innovation ecosystem integrating geoscience and carbon-neutral engineering—a unique approach in Canada.
Koloma stands out as a financing leader, having raised approximately $394 million—one of the sector's largest war chests. The Denver-based company applies advanced oilfield techniques and geophysical mapping to identify hydrogen-rich structures in North America, particularly in Kansas and Nevada.
Gold Hydrogen Ltd. has made significant progress on its Ramsay project. In mid-2025, the company announced it had successfully brought high-purity hydrogen and helium to the surface from its first two test wells, confirming not only hydrogen extractability but also the co-presence of valuable helium gas.
HyTerra Ltd., an Australian listed company focusing on natural hydrogen, partnered in the United States to drill exploration wells in Kansas and Nebraska. HyTerra's project produced the remarkable hydrogen concentration of approximately 96%, and the company (formerly Triple Energy) has fully pivoted to white hydrogen exploration.
The Helium Bonus: Enhanced Economics
Many natural hydrogen sites also contain helium—a valuable co-product that can significantly improve project economics. Gold Hydrogen's drilling confirmed the presence of Helium-3, an extremely rare isotope used in quantum research that can command prices several orders of magnitude higher than ordinary helium. The helium-3 isotope commands prices approximately 140,000 times higher than standard helium-4.
Market Growth Projections
The global white hydrogen market, valued at approximately $4.05 billion USD in 2024, is expected to reach approximately $10.53 billion USD by 2033, representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 10.3%. These figures represent the very first stages of commercialization—a market in formation.
The next five to ten years will be crucial in determining whether white hydrogen moves from promising exploration target to large-scale commercial reality.
Learn more about white hydrogen economic projections
Global White Hydrogen Projects Underway (2023–2025)
North America
Koloma's operations in Kansas and Nevada represent some of the best-funded projects. HyTerra's Nemaha project in Kansas has produced hydrogen concentrations up to 96.1%—among the highest ever documented. Natural Hydrogen Energy LLC is pushing boundaries in Nebraska with an 11,287-foot test well.
Europe
The Lorraine basin in France potentially holds up to 46 million tonnes of hydrogen—more than half of the current annual global hydrogen production from all sources. Follow-up plans involve drilling to approximately 3,000 meters to confirm the reservoir's extent.
In Spain, Helios Aragón is reassessing the Monzón field, having drilled the Monzón-2 well to 4,000 meters in 2024 to confirm historical gas reserves.
Africa: Pioneering Production and Promise
The Bourakébougou field in Mali remains unique as the only active white hydrogen production site in the world, producing approximately 5 tonnes of hydrogen per year to generate electricity for a small village—an important proof of concept.
Namibia has reported natural hydrogen occurrences through exploratory drilling, with studies on its use to sustainably power mining operations.
Senegal is becoming a new innovation ground through a partnership between Squatex, CTI, and Senegal's National Geological Service (SGNS). This three-year cooperation framework aims to develop geological mapping tools, certified laboratories, and test low-carbon footprint intelligent drills for sustainable hydrogen exploration.
Read the official press release
Australia: Rapid Development
Australia has rapidly positioned itself as a major player. Gold Hydrogen's Ramsay project represents one of the most advanced projects in the world, having successfully extracted high-purity hydrogen and helium with Helium-3 presence.
Conclusion
White hydrogen is at a transformative moment in its evolution. The convergence of technological innovation, regulatory development, and growing industrial investment signals that natural hydrogen is being taken seriously as a component of the future clean energy landscape.
In Quebec, CTI and Squatex are implementing this vision with their intelligent and carbon-neutral drills, designed to reduce the environmental impact of drilling while maintaining high-level industrial performance.
Internationally, regulatory frameworks are evolving to accommodate this emerging resource. The modification of the French mining code, Australian state-level support, and international mapping efforts demonstrate that governments recognize white hydrogen's potential.
For the mining and energy sector, white hydrogen represents an exciting frontier where geological expertise, drilling capabilities, and sustainable energy ambitions converge. The next five to ten years will be decisive in transforming this promise into commercial reality.
References
[1] Arora, Karishma. "Exploring the White Hydrogen Market's Future Potential." BCC Research Blog, Sept. 8, 2025.
[2] Flowers, Simon, and Richard Hood. "White Hydrogen: 5 of the Most Critical Questions Answered." World Economic Forum, Aug. 29, 2024.
[3] Ingenious e-Brain. "Technological Advances and Regulatory Trends in the White Hydrogen Sector." IeB White Paper, 2024.
[4] Pironon, Jacques, and Philippe de Donato. "World's Largest White Hydrogen Deposit Found in France." The Conversation / World Economic Forum, Sept. 15, 2023.
[5] Decarbonfuse News. "White Hydrogen Revolution: The Clean Fuel Major Oil Giants Bet On." Decarbonfuse, 2025.
