In a significant leap towards its natural hydrogen exploration program, 2H Resources, a subsidiary of Buru Energy Ltd, has forged a research agreement with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The partnership aims to expedite the identification of potential natural hydrogen exploration wells.
The collaboration grants 2H Resources access to CSIRO’s advanced autonomous soil gas sensors. These state-of-the-art sensors are crucial in gauging the flux of hydrogen and other gases in the soil. With the use of these sensors, 2H Resources can pinpoint areas with a high probability of natural hydrogen occurrence.
The initial phase of the research agreement entails the provision and installation of six monitoring units and a base station over a three-month period. Should the initial deployment prove successful, the rollout may be extended to up to 140 autonomous monitors spanning six months.
While CSIRO retains the monitoring technology, 2H Resources stands to gain invaluable insights as an early adopter. The data amassed will be instrumental in informing its forthcoming exploration endeavors and decision-making processes.
Additionally, 2H Resources has been identified as the favored applicant for six Petroleum Exploration Licences (PEL) and two Gas Storage Exploration Licence (GSEL) applications in South Australia. These regions are suspected to harbor vast natural hydrogen reserves.
Once land use agreements are sealed, and the PELs and GSELs are granted, 2H Resources will kick off the exploration process. This will include the deployment of the autonomous sensors, focusing on field testing the chosen sites to assess the presence and flow of gases in the soil, thereby helping fine-tune survey designs and data analysis strategies.
An independent assessment by RISC Advisory in January 2023 projected a prospective best estimate resource of 343 million kilograms of hydrogen across the six application areas. These estimates will be weighed against the target price of $2 per kilogram for alternative hydrogen production methods to compete with hydrogen derived from fossil fuels.
Buru Energy is steadfastly working to unlock considerable shareholder value from its hydrogen initiative and anticipates finalizing engagement with key Native Title groups to streamline the licensing process.
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