Model suggests Earth’s subsurface may hold up to 5.6 × 10⁶ million metric tons of natural hydrogen

Two geologists from the U.S. Geological Survey in Denver have created a model showing that the Earth’s underground could host up to 5.6 × 10⁶ Million tons of natural hydrogen. In their research, publish in diary scientific progressJeffrey Ellis and Sarah Gellman added factors to geological models to estimate how much hydrogen might be present in parts of the Earth.

Previous research has shown that hydrogen can be produced artificially by applying an electric current to water molecules, breaking them apart, leaving behind oxygen and hydrogen. Hydrogen is also naturally produced through chemical reaction When rocks come into contact with each other. But until recently, it was thought that very little hydrogen could be made this way.

when geologist That thinking changed after the discovery of huge natural hydrogen reservoirs in Albania and West Africa. Now, researchers think there’s a giant reservoir of hydrogen beneath our feet – but the question remains how to find it.

In the new study, researchers estimated the amount of hydrogen that might be contained in rocks and reservoirs beneath Earth’s surface, roughly defined as strata.

To make their estimate, they used a model created over time by geologists who have been adding characteristics of hydrogen, such as where it has been found so far, in what quantities, and what is known about it production rate. They then started adding other known factors, such as the amount of hydrogen in the reservoir and the amount of hydrogen leaking from hydrogen-containing rocks.

The model suggested 1 billion to 10 megatons of hydrogen existed underground—the researchers used averages to narrow the amount down to 5.6 × 10⁶ Million tons. They readily admit, however, that much of the hydrogen may not be accessible, but point out that collecting just 2% of it could meet all of humanity’s energy needs for about two centuries.

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