Econews reported that at the International Hydrogen Energy Conference (IH2CON) in Moscow, Gazprom Hydrogen introduced the potential for exploiting natural white hydrogen in Eastern Russia.
White hydrogen, formed by geological processes, offers unprecedented opportunities for the global hydrogen economy. Possessing large gas fields such as Kovykta and Chayandinskoye, Russia could become a major player in the international energy market.
White hydrogen is different from other types of hydrogen because of its low extraction costs and minimal environmental impact. While green hydrogen requires expensive water electrolysis, and blue hydrogen requires carbon capture technology, white hydrogen is created naturally underground.
White hydrogen can be used as a clean fuel for industry, transportation or electricity generation without emitting CO2. White hydrogen is not a fossil gas like natural gas, but it has the potential to replace gas in many applications due to its carbon-free and more environmentally friendly properties.
Recently, studies at the Kovykta mine in Irkutsk confirmed the presence of white hydrogen in a mixture of hydrocarbons, methane, helium and nitrogen. Although the concentration was only 3%, the discovery marked an important step forward.
With 1.8 trillion cubic meters of gas, 65.7 million tons of condensate and modern infrastructure such as membrane separation equipment, Kovykta will be a model for hydrogen extraction on an industrial scale.
However, the extraction of white hydrogen is not simple due to low concentrations and immature extraction technology. The hydrogen market is highly volatile, making long-term planning difficult.
While countries like France are researching white hydrogen as a cheap solution, Russia still has the richest resources, especially in Eastern Siberia and Yakutia, where geological conditions are favorable.
While the European Union EU is focusing on green and blue hydrogen, the Asian market, especially China, is increasing its use of low-carbon energy.
Gazprom is a leader in hydrogen production, producing 350,000 tons per year for domestic use. New projects to reduce its carbon footprint and develop white hydrogen will help Russia become more competitive in the international energy market. If successful, white hydrogen could be a game-changer and lay the foundations for a new energy era.
