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Journal of Australian Energy Producers
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Hydrogen in Australian natural gas: occurrences, sources and resources

Christopher J. Boreham A C , Dianne S. Edwards A , Krystian Czado B , Nadege Rollet A , Liuqi Wang A , Simon van der Wielen A , David Champion A , Richard Blewett A , Andrew Feitz A and Paul A. Henson A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Geoscience Australia, GPO Box 378, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia.

B Geological Survey of NSW, 516 High Street, Maitland NSW 2320, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: chris.boreham@ga.gov.au

The APPEA Journal 61(1) 163-191 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ20044
Submitted: 3 February 2021  Accepted: 17 March 2021   Published: 2 July 2021

Journal Compilation © APPEA 2021 Open Access CC BY

Abstract

Natural or native molecular hydrogen (H2) can be a major component in natural gas, and yet its role in the global energy sector’s usage as a clean energy carrier is not normally considered. Here, we update the scarce reporting of hydrogen in Australian natural gas with new compositional and isotopic analyses of H2 undertaken at Geoscience Australia. The dataset involves ~1000 natural gas samples from 470 wells in both sedimentary and non-sedimentary basins with reservoir rocks ranging in age from the Neoarchean to Cenozoic. Pathways to H2 formation can involve either organic matter intermediates and its association with biogenic natural gas or chemical synthesis and its presence in abiogenic natural gas. The latter reaction pathway generally leads to H2-rich (>10 mol% H2) gas in non-sedimentary rocks. Abiogenic H2 petroleum systems are described within concepts of source–migration–reservoir–seal but exploration approaches are different to biogenic natural gas. Rates of abiogenic H2 generation are governed by the availability of specific rock types and different mineral catalysts, and through chemical reactions and radiolysis of accessible water. Hydrogen can be differently trapped compared to hydrocarbon gases; for example, pore space can be created in fractured basement during abiogenic reactions, and clay minerals and evaporites can act as effective adsorbents, traps and seals. Underground storage of H2 within evaporites (specifically halite) and in depleted petroleum reservoirs will also have a role to play in the commercial exploitation of H2. Estimated H2 production rates mainly from water radiolysis in mafic–ultramafic and granitic rocks and serpentinisation of ultramafic–mafic rocks gives a H2 inferred resource potential between ~1.6 and ~58 MMm3 year−1 for onshore Australia down to a depth of 1 km. The prediction and subsequent identification of subsurface H2 that can be exploited remains enigmatic and awaits robust exploration guidelines and targeted drilling for proof of concept.

Keywords: Australian craton, hydrogen exploration, hydrogen isotopes, natural gas, natural/native hydrogen, resource potential, serpentinisation, water radiolysis.

Christopher J. Boreham is a principal petroleum geochemist at Geoscience Australia working in the Minerals, Energy and Groundwater Division. He obtained his BSc (Hons) in chemistry from the University of Queensland and awarded a PhD in chemistry at the Australian National University. He has worked at Geoscience Australia for four decades. Chris has a wide experience in the application of organic geochemistry to the evolution of oil and gas in Australian sedimentary basins. He has recently extended these geochemical studies to unconventional petroleum (coal seam methane, shale gas and oil), helium, hydrogen and abiogenic hydrocarbons, as well as being involved in CO2CRC’s studies on the injection of CO2 into a depleted natural gas field and a saline aquifer. In 2010 he received the Australian Organic Geochemistry Conference Medal for lifetime achievement in the field of organic geochemistry. Chris is a member of PESA.

Dianne S. Edwards is a principal petroleum geochemist at Geoscience Australia working in the Minerals, Energy and Groundwater Division. Her scientific focus is on defining the petroleum systems of Australia’s petroliferous basins including both conventional and unconventional play types. She is involved in building database systems to release petroleum geochemical data via the portal https://portal.ga.gov.au. Dianne received her BSc (Hons) in geology and MSc in organic petrology and organic geochemistry from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (UK). She was awarded her PhD from the University of Adelaide in 1996. In 2018 she received the Australian Organic Geochemistry Conference Medal for lifetime achievement in the field of organic geochemistry. Dianne is a member of PESA.

Krystian Czado is a petroleum geologist at the Geological Survey of NSW. He graduated with a MSc in Petroleum Geology and GeoEnergy from the University of Science and Technology in Cracow, Poland. Presently he is working on the multi-basin 3D geological models for Western New South Wales.

Nadege Rollet is a senior geoscientist at Geoscience Australia. Nadege graduated from the University of Paris – Pierre et Marie Curie, France where she obtained a MSc and a PhD (1999) in geology and geophysics. Her studies focused on structural framework and geodynamic of the Ligurian Sea, Western Mediterranean. Since joining Geoscience Australia, she has contributed to assessments of the petroleum prospectivity, seepage studies, CO2 storage and cover mapping of Australian sedimentary basins. Nadege is currently investigating depositional framework and groundwater systems in the Great Artesian Basin. Membership: AGU.

Liuqi Wang is a well analyst at Geoscience Australia working in the Minerals, Energy and Groundwater Division. He received his PhD in petroleum engineering and worked as a research fellow at the University of New South Wales before joining Geoscience Australia. His research interests include petrophysics, static and dynamic reservoir modelling, applied statistics and artificial intelligence. He is a member of PESA and EAGE.

Simon van der Wielen is a data scientist at Geoscience Australia working in the Minerals, Energy and Groundwater Division. His research interests include 3D modelling, data integration and analysis of geoscientific data to map the resource potential in Australia. He is also the product owner for the Geoscience Australia portal (https://portal.ga.gov.au/).

David Champion is a senior hard rock and isotope geochemist at Geoscience Australia working in the Minerals, Energy and Groundwater Division. His current research focus involves the use of isotopes and regional geochemistry to better understand and constrain the Archean to Paleozoic geodynamic development of the Australian continent and linkages to mineral systems. He is also involved in aspects of critical minerals in Australia, especially lithium. He oversees all aspects of Geoscience Australia’s Inorganic Geochemistry database systems including the release of inorganic geochemical data via the portal https://portal.ga.gov.au. David received his BSc (Hons) in geology from the James Cook University of North Queensland in 1984, and his PhD from the Australian National University in 1992.

Dr Richard Blewett is the General Manager of the Minerals Systems Branch at Geoscience Australia. He has responsibility for leading Geoscience Australia’s minerals science programme as well as the promotion of Australia as an attractive investment destination for minerals exploration. Richard is interested in the management and leadership of science and in geoscience education.

Andrew Feitz is an environmental engineer and Director of Low Carbon Geoscience and Advice at Geoscience Australia. He holds a PhD from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and worked as a senior researcher in air and water treatment technologies at UNSW and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany). He moved to Canberra in 2008 and joined Geoscience Australia where he developed and led a research program to evaluate monitoring techniques for geological storage of carbon dioxide. Andrew leads the geological storage team in Geoscience Australia and Geoscience Australia’s efforts supporting implementation of the National Hydrogen Strategy. In late 2019, he co-authored a report on prospective hydrogen production regions of Australia and led the establishment of AusH2 – Australia’s Hydrogen Opportunities Tool data portal.

Paul A. Henson graduated from the University of Tasmania and is currently Director of the Onshore Energy Systems Section at Geoscience Australia. He has extensive experience in the minerals sector working on mineral systems in Proterozoic and Archaean terranes. Since 2010 he led the Australian Government’s onshore carbon storage program, undertaking deep onshore drilling and seismic acquisition programs in collaboration with the states and industry.


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