March 2024
Hydrogen will play a critical role as both a clean fuel and as a chemical feedstock for many industrial reactions. The world’s ability to produce and utilize low-cost and clean hydrogen will be pivotal in the ongoing energy transition. Hydrogen today is typically formed by the reformation of fossil fuels or by electrolysis. However, naturally occurring hydrogen is also observed in subsurface settings, and it could potentially serve as a cheaper source of this gas.
This issue discusses the generation and occurrences of subsurface hydrogen. Challenges remain around how to find and exploit natural hydrogen due to the variable nature of its occurrence. The characterization of the different types of hydrogen systems helps to inform how this resource could be systematically explored for or even efficiently developed.
