MUSCAT: In collaboration with the US Department of Energy, the Ministry of Energy and Minerals convened a technical workshop on Geologic Hydrogen. The workshop was attended by HE Eng. Mohsen bin Hamad Al-Hadrami, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, and Senior Advisor to the US Department of Energy, Dan Milstein, besides the attendance of Leslie Ordman, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the United States of America in the Sultanate of Oman, along with representatives from various entities from the public, private, and academic sector, as well as investment and research institutions.
Notably, this workshop represents the inaugural government-level event in the field of Geologic Hydrogen. The workshop’s objectives include the exchange of information and ideas concerning Geologic Hydrogen, facilitating discussions on policies related to its exploration, and fostering commercial and academic partnerships and collaborations between the Sultanate of Oman and the United States of America in the realm of cutting-edge energy research.
The workshop focused on the discussion of hydrogen, a natural substance formed deep within the Earth, with a particular emphasis on opportunities, methods, and strategies related to its exploration and extraction. Additionally, it delved into the phenomenon of natural hydrogen emissions occurring in various regions worldwide, including the Sultanate of Oman, particularly in the Hajar Mountains. One common natural process that generates hydrogen involves the interaction of groundwater with iron-rich minerals, such as olivine rocks found in Oman. These rocks are characterized by its unique type as it contains significant fractures that can potentially facilitate the leakage of hydrogen to sites near the Earth’s surface.
Furthermore, the workshop highlighted that Geologic Hydrogen possesses the potential to serve as a primary energy source that is cost-effective and environmentally friendly. It can be extracted from underground reserves through drilling procedures, similar to the extraction of other gases, once discovered in significant quantities.
Nonetheless, more extensive research and development efforts to fully understand the technical and commercial possibilities and opportunities within this domain. Several participants also raised the prospect of geological hydrogen being a renewable resource due to the natural geological processes occurring underground. They discussed various methods to stimulate the production of geological hydrogen and ongoing research related to this emerging field. During the workshop, the Ministry of Energy and Minerals made an announcement regarding the acceptance of research and experimental proposals in the realm of geological hydrogen exploration within the Sultanate of Oman, welcoming submissions from interested parties. Participants also acknowledged the significance of the positive measures undertaken by the Sultanate of Oman to promote environmental sustainability in a broader context, with a particular emphasis on advancing the renewable energy sector and clean hydrogen initiatives.
On the sidelines of this meeting, HE Mohsen bin Hamad Al-Hadrami, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, entered into two Memorandums of Understanding with the American company ‘Eden Geopower’ and the Omani Earth Sciences Consultancy Centre. These agreements aim to facilitate scientific dialogues to conduct extensive preliminary studies for assessing the potential and opportunities in Geologic Hydrogen exploration. Furthermore, they will identify suitable locations for conducting experimental research in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and Minerals.
SOURCE: Ministry of Energy and Minerals
Date: 24 Sep 2023
