The United States has been on a relentless quest for sustainable energy resources. Recently, however, this quest has taken an adventurous turn with the prospect of tapping into large and extensive hydrogen reservoirs present underground. This untapped resource has been referred to as the ‘Apocalypse Mine’ and could provide energy for eons. Nevertheless, there are challenges and dangers associated with the extraction of hydrogen from several miles below the surface which calls for care and ingenuity.
5 trillion tons of hydrogen: The untapped energy revolution buried in the Earth’s crust
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), there is a possibility that the earth’s crust has five trillion tons of hydrogen – an overwhelmingly staggering figure when compared to the global share of 90 million metric tons made in a year.
These resources, in fact, could be transformed into energy for centuries and thus are cleaner compared to fossil fuels. There are no conventional resource rich, expensive melting and burning processes to manufacture hydrogen.
Bridges instead could use deep natural reservoirs to extract raw hydrogen from underground; this could disrupt the energy market with much higher returns and marginal pollution. This potentially busy bonanza is due to mantle rocks unusually rich in iron that are located under the crust, in which hydrogen is produced by natural processes.
This resource base, the experts say, has the potential to mitigate carbon emissions in the industry, promote energy self-sufficiency in the United States, and reduce the carbon footprint. However, at this point, the technology and the associated infrastructure that can dig out this “treasure” are relatively new. Thus, there are some ways to go and many challenges to face.
Exploring downwards: The Nebraska adventure of searching for mantle rocks abundant in hydrogen
Natural Hydrogen Energy commenced drilling operations in 2019 in proximity to Geneva, Nebraska, in search of deep mantle source rock geology with the presence of fault system. Deep inside the earth, to a depth of about 4km, these boreholes are attributed to likely horizons with an occurrence of hydrogen.
Yet the numbers remain classified, but what this endeavour does illustrate is the growing significance of hydrogen prospecting. The Department of Energy is priming myriads of activities to enhance the processes of hydrogen extraction.
To create viable hydrogen present technologies eighteen teams comprising institutions, labs and private companies have been awarded $20 million to find cheaper methods of hydrogen extraction. Some of the ARPA-E funded projects including those in the Colorado School of Mines and Los Alamos National Laboratory are using oil and gas industry strategies for generating hydrogen.
On the other hand, Iwnetim Abate from MIT is investigating means of improving efficiency of hydrogen extraction by looking into temperature, pressure and catalysts. It might be developed into an economically feasible method of mass-producing hydrogen with the funding of $1.3 million.
The East Coast and Midwest: Hydrogen hotspots of the US
The East Coast and the Midwest are proving to be viable hydrogen storage regions. Hydrogen is generated by mantle rocks located about 10-20 km below the Eastern Seaboard and is trapped within the overlying impermeable sediments.
On the other hand, the volcanic rift in the central part of the country, which stretches from Minnesota to Kansas and has been in existence for over a billion years, has iron rich intrusions which are known to form hydrogen. Both areas in addition to scope of ongoing surveys across the territories of the hypertensive nation will assist in changing America’s energy map.
The Plan has now grown and covers research targeting the mountain states including the Pacific Northwest and the Appalachian Region, fully assessing the underground hydrogen potential. The process of extracting hydrogen stored underground is an ambitious milestone in the quest to provide clean energy for America. However, there are challenges, but potentially suitable reserves and out-of-the-box approaches can change the energy landscape. Predict the scientists – the outlook is optimistic – and it is below the surface of the earth.
