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Origins, migrations and accumulations of natural hydrogen

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  • Cao, Pinqiang
  • Ning, Fulong

Abstract

Natural hydrogen as an emerging field in geoscience and energy has attracted great attention around the world. Understanding origins, migrations and accumulations of natural hydrogen is of great importance to achieve its commercial exploitation and utilization. In this review, several leading advances and open questions on natural hydrogen are highlighted and discussed from the perspective of petroleum geology systems, focusing on its origins, migrations, and geological accumulations. A theoretical framework of natural hydrogen systems is proposed to accurately understand natural hydrogen systems. Hydrogen pump as a core of this theoretical framework provides a novel intentional paradigm addressing the importance of coupling associations of physics, chemistry, and biology in the Earth's interior from the molecular complexity to large scale crustal movements at the geological scale. Moreover, hydrogen pump exhibits a technical route for the sources and sinks of natural hydrogen and evolution mechanisms of natural hydrogen systems. This work advances our understanding of fundamental questions on natural hydrogen systems and bridges critical knowledge gaps to develop its exploitation strategies in the cutting-edge field.

Suggested Citation

  • Cao, Pinqiang & Ning, Fulong, 2025. "Origins, migrations and accumulations of natural hydrogen," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 401(PB).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:401:y:2025:i:pb:s0306261925014564
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.126726
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    References listed on IDEAS

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