Australia’s CSIRO backs natural hydrogen and helium exploration studies

Australia’s national science agency is funding Prominence Energy’s (PRM) natural hydrogen and helium exploration project in South Australia with AUD $50,000 ($35,000) to progress studies.

The funding from CSIRO’s R&D kick-start programme will support geochemistry, petrography, and multi-physics modelling for the 64,000km² Gawler project, aiding PRM’s ongoing evaluation of gas extraction prospects.

The government organisation will collaborate with PRM on sampling and analysis on the project, which completed a geochemical examination in February, and commenced earlier this month.

This project phase is set to commence before the end of April and run until around the end of the year.

PRM said the site is a high-potential location for hydrogen and helium generation due to iron-rich lithologies and geological conditions.

Dr Krista Davies, COO of PRM, said that CSIRO’s backing provides specialist expertise relevant to natural hydrogen systems.

“The work is focused on improving technical understanding to help de-risk future exploration decisions,” she added.

Natural hydrogen, formed underground by geologic processes, presents the potential to deliver large volumes of low-carbon hydrogen at low-cost.

However, its extraction remains unproven, with technologies, regulations, and understanding of its environmental impacts largely undeveloped.