Natural hydrogen

[7][8] Natural hydrogen has been identified in many source rocks in areas beyond the sedimentary basins where oil companies typically operate.

[8] In Adelaide, Australia in the 1930s, oil well drillers reported finding "vast amounts of high-purity hydrogen."

[1] Most of this hydrogen is likely dispersed too widely to be economically recoverable, but the U.S. Geological Survey has reported that even a fractional recovery could meet global demand for hundreds of years.

[citation needed] Resources have been identified in France,[16] Mali, the United States, and approximately a dozen other countries.

Aulacogens such as the Midcontinent Rift System of North America are also viable sources of rocks which may undergo serpentinisation.

However, at greater depths and pressures, such as within the mantle,[26] the solubility decreases due to the highly asymmetric nature of mixtures of hydrogen and water.

Vladimir Vernadsky originated the concept of natural hydrogen captured by the Earth in the process of formation from the post-nebula cloud.

Larin developed the Primordially Hydridic Earth concept[27][dubious – discuss] that described deep-seated natural hydrogen prominence[28] and migration paths.