Origin, discovery, exploration and development status and prospect of global natural hydrogen under the background of “carbon neutrality”

Abstract

Global energy structure is experiencing the third transition from fossil energy to non-fossil energy, to solve future energy problems, cope with climate change, and achieve net-zero emissions targets by 2050. Hydrogen is considered to be the most potential clean energy in this century under the background of carbon neutrality. At present, the industrial methods for producing hydrogen are mainly by steam-hydrocarbon (such as coal and natural gas) reforming and by electrolysis of water, while the exploration and development of natural hydrogen had just started. According to this literature review: (1) Natural hydrogen can be divided into three categories, including free hydrogen, hydrogen in inclusions and dissolved hydrogen; (2) natural hydrogen could be mainly from abiotic origins such as by deep-seated hydrogen generation, water-rock reaction or water radiolysis; (3) natural hydrogen is widely distributed and presents great potential, and the potential natural hydrogen sources excluding deep source of hydrogen is about (254±91)×109 m3/a according to a latest estimate; (4) at present, natural hydrogen has been mined in Mali, and the exploration and development of natural hydrogen has also been carried out in Australia, Brazil, the United States and some European countries, to find many favorable areas and test some technical methods for natural hydrogen exploration. Natural hydrogen is expected to be an important part of hydrogen energy production in the future energy pattern. Based on a thorough literature review, this study introduced the origin, classification, and global discovery of natural hydrogen, as well as summarized the current global status and discussed the possibility of natural hydrogen exploration and development, aiming to provide reference for the future natural hydrogen exploration and development.©2022 China Geology Editorial Office.

Keywords

• Carbon neutrality
• Energy transition
• New energy
• Hydrogen energy
• Natural hydrogen
• Occurrence