Advancing Natural Hydrogen Exploration: Headspace Gas Analysis in Water-Logged Environments

Abstract

Natural hydrogen has gained prominence as a potential contributor to the low-carbon energy landscape; however, exploration techniques are still evolving. Current methods primarily rely on dry soil gas studies or gas vent measurements. Because gas vents are scarce and groundwater inhibits hydrogen gas flux from the soil, other field detection techniques are necessary. This research paper presents a novel approach for advancing natural hydrogen exploration through the analysis of headspace gas of agitated groundwater extracted from dedicated shallow boreholes to better estimate the hydrogen gas flux and its variations with time. Several shallow boreholes were drilled in Western Australia on the Yilgarn Craton to test the new protocol versus standard gas meter sensing method to detect and quantify hydrogen seepage. While the standard methods could not detect hydrogen because of groundwater occurrence, the new technique was able to detect elevated hydrogen levels from shallow boreholes. These hydrogen concentrations exhibit both temporal and spatial variations, highlighting the complex dynamics of the hydrogen surface seepage. By introducing this innovative technique, we provide a practical and straightforward field tool for subsurface natural hydrogen exploration regardless of water in/around the sensor, thereby facilitating the development of this promising energy resource(Figure Presented).