The new hydrogen discovery can be huge: 3,655 meters of drilling was successful – Value up to 60 billion euros

New information has been obtained about a potentially huge deposit of natural hydrogen discovered by chance in France in 2023.

The French energy company La Française de l’Énergie (FDE) announced on March 23 that new test drilling has confirmed the presence of hydrogen in several layers of the soil. The drilling extended to a depth of 3,655 meters, during which a total of 58 samples were collected. It is the world’s deepest well made specifically for hydrogen.

The plan is to install equipment in the well by the end of April, which can measure the hydrogen concentration on the spot and test the separation of hydrogen dissolved in groundwater using membrane technology deep in the soil.

FDE has also received a new research permit covering 2,254 square kilometers. With it, the company aims to determine the extent and possible quantity of the deposit more precisely. In addition, the company is having discussions about expanding the research across France’s land borders to Germany and Luxembourg.

The fresh drilling was done about six kilometers from Folschviller, where the first discovery was made in 2023.

The largest deposit in the world

In the initial phase, it was estimated that the soil in the area could contain up to 46 million tons of geological hydrogen.

However, more recent estimates are more cautious. According to the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), the amount of hydrogen could be around 34 million tons, says the French magazine Le Parisien.

In the international media, the value of the discovery has been bracketed based on the estimated price of around $2,000 per ton for natural hydrogen. With this assumption, the theoretical value of the deposit could be about 60 billion euros converted into euros.

If the extent and usability of the deposit is confirmed, the discovery could have a significant impact on the energy market. It would be the world’s largest known deposit of geological hydrogen.

Last year, FDE estimated that the possible utilization of hydrogen could start in about three years at the earliest, i.e. approximately in 2028. However, the plans are still at an early stage.