DOE searches for native hydrogen

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Energy (DOE) has stepped up efforts to assess the country’s native hydrogen potential, with United States-based Koloma Inc. launching a 2D seismic survey in Pangasinan under its government-issued service contract.

In a statement on Monday, the DOE said Koloma has begun mapping subsurface geological structures to identify potential native hydrogen-bearing formations within its exploration areas.

READ: DOE eyes Pangasinan, Zambales as sources of native hydrogen

The project is being undertaken with the support of the provincial governments of Pangasinan and Zambales.

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the initial findings were encouraging enough to warrant further exploration.

Koloma previously completed 27,976.5 line kilometers (km) of aerogravity and magnetic survey from March to early June. It has now moved to a 132.6-line-km 2D seismic survey, which will generate detailed images of underground rock formations that may contain naturally occurring hydrogen.

Energy Undersecretary Alessandro Sales said Koloma is expected to invest about $8 million to $9 million in the exploration program, including the drilling of a well.

READ: DOE eyes Palawan ‘white hydrogen’ as potential energy source

The company has seven years to complete exploration activities across Service Contract Nos. 83 and 84.

If viable deposits were confirmed, Sales said hydrogen could be used to generate electricity by replacing natural gas in turbines, producing power through fuel cells, or serving as feedstock for fertilizer production.

Garin described the project as pioneering, saying the Philippines is the first country to undertake native hydrogen exploration on this scale.

“This is different from natural gas. This is something new,” she said. “We know hydrogen exists in the Philippines because we see it naturally bubbling in rivers and creeks. What we do not know yet is whether there is enough of it to develop commercially.”

The DOE said commercially viable native hydrogen resources could provide an additional indigenous energy source to support the country’s clean energy transition while strengthening long-term energy security.

The agency added that it has incorporated native hydrogen into the country’s existing petroleum service contract system to encourage private investment while maintaining government oversight. INQ