Half a billion dollars in investment. More than thirty exploration wells. Zero commercial results. This is the current state of an industry that was recently called “the new oil.”
Natural hydrogen was supposed to be the key to clean energy. But instead, there is silence. They wanted to turn it into the clean oil of the 21st century. But instead of a flow, there are only press releases. It’s time to ask the big question.
🔬A Beautiful Theory. A Terrible Reality.
It all began with a compelling hypothesis: hydrogen forms in the Earth’s crust when ultramafic rocks react with water.
Serpentinization. Elegant equations. Academic references. TED talks. Trendy pitch decks.
The model was so seductive, it almost became self-evident. Especially for investors — it ticked all the boxes: science, geology, green credentials. All that remained was to drill — and collect the returns.
But the earth doesn’t read presentations. If a well doesn’t produce, then the theory doesn’t work. Everything else is just excuses.
📉 Wells Exist. Flows Do Not.
Over the past several years, at least 30 exploration wells have been drilled based on the serpentinization model.
The industry’s flagship company — funded by top-tier US venture capital — focused on the Mid-Continental Rift.
They followed the theory strictly. One well after another. All the right moves.
The result? Not a single commercially viable well.
You can verify it yourself — these well reports are public:
Wells exist. But there is no natural hydrogen flow. And this is not an isolated case.
“KOLOMA drilling results… a road to nowhere. Strange that the shareholders are not asking any questions…” — from correspondence with an industry insider
🌒 Empty Below the Surface
Another company — already public, registered in Australia, with stock market ambitions — also bet on serpentinization. Two wells drilled. Reports. Announcement of a third. The result? Still nothing. PR campaigns, schedules, hopes — and not a single confirmed zone of industrial flow.
🌍 The Case of Mali
The place where the first hydrogen fountain was accidentally recorded in the 1980s was considered a holy grail of the industry. One of Europe’s leading geologists, a specialist in serpentinization, was brought in. Further exploration was carried out, and more than twenty new wells were drilled.
Result? Absolute zero. No stable flow. No repeat of the original anomaly.
What more proof is needed to admit that serpentinization does not work?
🧪 Where Is the Accountability?
What happened to the academics whose hypotheses formed the basis of this whole race? Nothing. New grants, new articles, new theories. And the same self-confidence.
In science, it is customary: if it doesn’t work, just write it differently. In geological exploration, this means losses, mass layoffs, bankruptcies, and loss of investor confidence. In some countries, it also means criminal liability for the founders of pioneering companies.
It’s time to admit that hypotheses don’t compete in beauty. They are either confirmed by drilling or they aren’t. The time for debate is over. It’s time to look not for a theory that suits our tastes, but for a model that works in practice.
🔁 Is There an Alternative?
Yes. But it is not discussed at TED conferences. It is the Hydridic Earth proposed by academician Vladimir Larin. It is radical but simple: hydrogen is not “formed.” It has always been in the core. It rises from the depths and escapes through degassing zones.
“Hydrogen is not a byproduct.
It is a primordial element of Earth’s formation.
It migrates upward and escapes through deep structures.”
— V.N. Larin
This model shows that
- hydrogen is not the result of a chemical reaction, but part of the physics of the planet;
- it does not accumulate, but degasses;
- it does not depend on rock type, but rises to the surface through weakened zones.
And all of this can be verified by geophysics.
🔍 What to Do Next
If there are no deposits, look for flows.
If the models don’t work, change the paradigm.
There have been enough words in this story. It’s time for data.
This is what scientists do when they want to get to the truth.
🧭 What Needs to Change
If we want real results, not imitations, it’s time to:
- Stop funding hypotheses that have not been tested by drilling. Geology is not PowerPoint. It is tested in the bowels of the earth.
- Bring geologists back to the energy agenda. Not lecturers or PR people, but people who have dedicated their lives and careers to natural hydrogen.
- Eliminate discrimination against natural hydrogen in the EU regulatory framework: “Why does green hydrogen receive billions in subsidies, while natural hydrogen is not even classified as a mineral resource?”
- And most importantly: put natural hydrogen on the map as an opportunity for Europe.
We have no oil. We have no gas. But we have the right to a chance to search for geological hydrogen.
🎯 Final Word
The paradox is that it is Europe, deprived of oil and gas, that could become a pioneer in natural hydrogen. But so far, it is missing this opportunity.
For a continent dependent on energy imports, natural hydrogen is not an alternative, but a strategic opportunity.
Why has Europe not yet taken this step?
Why, instead of serious geological exploration, are we seeing slides, reviews, and imitation?
There are many answers. One of them is lobbying.
The rest are polite excuses.
But there are things that cannot be lobbied. They just happen.
If a well produces a flow, it’s not PR. It’s physics.
“Physics doesn’t care about your feelings.
It cares about whether you got the rocket right.”
— Elon Musk
It doesn’t require persuasion. It just happens.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Energy News. This content is presented as the author’s analysis based on available information at the time of writing. It should not be considered as representative of Energy News or its editorial stance. Readers are encouraged to consider this as one perspective among many and to form their own opinions based on multiple sources.
