Imagine a world where clean, renewable hydrogen is extracted directly from the ground, with virtually no CO₂ emissions and at a cost far below existing ways of producing it. Does it sound like science fiction?
However, it is not a myth, but a possible near future, which is supported by a number of studies as well as accidental discoveries such as the one made in Mali in 1987.
Nevertheless, an important question arises: why are the major oil and gas corporations, with all the necessary technology for exploration and production, in no hurry to develop this potentially revolutionary resource? The answer lies not only in economic profit or technical barriers, but also in much more complex problems: scientific dogma, corporate fears, the struggle for control over energy markets, and the inertia of the system. Let’s look at why the oil and gas giants have not yet entered the race for natural hydrogen.
- SCIENTIFIC DOGMA: THE WEIGHT OF OUTDATED THEORIES
For decades, the oil and gas industry has been influenced by scientific theories that stated that hydrogen in pure form cannot exist in significant quantities in the Earth’s crust. Geologists and engineers were taught in Universities that hydrogen:
- Is too reactive to exist in molecular form
- It has high chemical activity, easily reacting with other elements and forming compounds with them
- Could not be formed in significant quantities naturally
These postulates were the foundation for a scientific approach to the study of the Earth’s interior, and many generations of petroleum scientists believed them to be true. However, as recent discoveries have shown, these dogmas may be wrong.
Fact: The accidental discovery of degassing natural hydrogen in molecular form with a purity of 98% in a well in Mali in 1987, was a sensation, but it was ignored by the oil and gas community.
The reason? Researchers could not explain the phenomenon within the framework of traditional geological theories, and it was never widely accepted.
- PRISONERS OF OLD THEORIES: OIL AND GAS ELITES AND THE CHALLENGE OF A NEW REALITY
Many high profile executives of oil and gas corporations have been classically educated based on the theory of organic origin of oil and gas, which states that oil and gas are the result of the decomposition of organic material (plankton, ancient forests, etc.) under high pressure and temperature. But if you accept the hypothesis that hydrogen was originally encapsulated in hydrides deep within the Earth and is now being degassed to the surface, it calls into question the entire existing theory of the origin of hydrocarbons.
Fact: There are oil and gas fields vertically located in granites and basalts around the world, which contradicts traditional theories. For example, oil and gas deposits in granites in Vietnam and oil and gas deposits in basalts in Brazil.
Oil and gas are products of chemical interaction of natural hydrogen with carbon-bearing rocks encountered on its way in the upper layers of the Earth’s crust.
Under favorable conditions, these hydrocarbons accumulate in porous reservoirs overlain by impermeable covers, forming deposits that we classify as oil and gas fields.
This new approach may cause a fundamental change in our understanding of how hydrocarbons are formed. Recognizing this fact may be too revolutionary for many and threaten their scientific and professional identity.
Does anyone still believe in the dogma of scientists stuck in paradigms from the days of the Scientific Inquisition? Bad news for them: reality has long since moved beyond their textbooks.
- NATURAL HYDROGEN AS A THREAT TO THE OIL AND GAS BUSINESS
If natural hydrogen does exist and can be extracted at minimal cost, it would mean a revolution in the energy industry. What does this mean for oil and gas companies?
- Oil and gas reserves lose their value.
- Oil and gas fields become uncompetitive.
- Oil and gas infrastructure including refineries, pipelines and terminals become inefficient.
Conclusion: Natural hydrogen could end the oil industry, making it obsolete and unprofitable. The logic of corporate giants is simple: if you cannot control a resource, it is better to slow down its development and not rush it to market.
- “GREEN AGENDA” AS A MARKETING MOVE
With the development of the “green agenda” and the trend towards ESG (environmental, social and corporate standards) compliance, oil and gas companies have started to pretend that they actively support the development of hydrogen energy. However, what kind of hydrogen are they promoting?
- “Green” hydrolyzed hydrogen is expensive and requires huge amounts of electricity.
- “Blue” hydrogen – produced from natural gas with CO₂ capture, but remains dependent on hydrocarbons.
Investment Comparison:
- Investment in “green” hydrogen is minimal.
- Investment in conventional oil and gas projects – hundreds of billions of dollars.
Conclusion: Oil and gas corporations only pretend to support hydrogen power, when in fact they continue to invest in traditional energy sources that maximize their profits.
- WHO IS REALLY FOLLOWING NATURAL HYDROGEN?
Some oil and gas corporations have already set up small divisions to study natural hydrogen, actively attend relevant conferences, analyze new research and keep an eye on startups that can pass the “valley of death” and become leaders in this field. However:
- They are not investing in these startups.
- They are not launching their own projects.
Why? Because they prefer to wait until the technology is proven and mature so they can just buy the leading companies, rather than risk their money in the uncertainty stage.
CONCLUSION: WHEN WILL OIL AND GAS COMPANIES WAKE UP?
The oil and gas industry has yet to get involved in the race for natural hydrogen for three main reasons:
- They don’t believe: The old scientific paradigm is so ingrained in their minds that changing their views causes fear and resistance.
- Fear: Natural hydrogen could disrupt their business models and challenge their financial sustainability.
- Waiting: They hope the technology will mature so they can monopolize it without risking their money in the early stages.
But history teaches us that those who stay waiting too long may be too late. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many countries and companies underestimated the potential of oil as a key energy resource. For example, in the early 1900s, coal remained the dominant fuel, and few saw oil as the future. However, those who bet on oil in time (e.g., John Rockefeller and his Standard Oil) built empires and changed the world economy.
Natural hydrogen could be the new resource that defines the future of the energy industry in the 21st century.
Natural hydrogen is not just an energy revolution, it is an opportunity for those who will be ready in time to recognize and harness its potential.
Tick-tock, oil and gas. Tick-tock.
