The prospectors hunting hydrogen along a US continental rift

image via New Scientist

June 16, 2025, 9:00 PM

• •A global hunt for underground hydrogen is underway, driven by revised estimates of the planet's potential hydrogen reserves.
• •Companies are drilling in the US Midwest, particularly in eastern Kansas, where the Midcontinent rift, an ancient fracture, is believed to generate hydrogen.
• •HyTerra, an Australian company, has drilled exploratory wells and detected high concentrations of hydrogen.
• •The potential for geologic hydrogen to serve as a zero-carbon alternative to fossil fuels is a major driver for this 'gold rush'.

Companies are actively searching the US Midwest, particularly Kansas, for underground hydrogen fuel, driven by the potential of the Midcontinent rift, a billion-year-old geological feature. This 'gold rush' is fueled by revised estimates of the planet's hydrogen reserves and the hope that it can serve as a low-emissions alternative to fossil fuels. HyTerra, an Australian company, is among those drilling exploratory wells, finding promising hydrogen concentrations. Despite early success, challenges remain in separating, storing, transporting, and selling the hydrogen.

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