Fri. May 29, 2026 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Exhibition Hall Special Setting (1) (Exhibition Hall 7&8, Makuhari Messe)

Chairperson:Kuramoto Shin'ichi(Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology), Kosugi Ayumi(Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security), Uchida Haru-Hisa(Tokai University)

Natural hydrogen, recognized as a zero-emission energy source with substantial potential as a next-generation resource, has recently garnered increasing global attention. Its generation is primarily attributed to water-rock reactions involving iron-bearing lithologies at elevated temperatures (on the order of several hundred degrees Celsius), most notably through the serpentinization of ultramafic rocks. To date, exploration has been conducted predominantly in continental settings. On land, hydrogen seepage is occasionally expressed as ring-shaped surface depressions, commonly referred to as "fairy circles", which may serve as geomorphological indicators of subsurface hydrogen accumulations. Occurrences associated with interactions between meteoric water and mantle-derived ultramafic rocks, such as those documented in the Oman ophiolite and Alpine suture zones, have been reported worldwide. Collectively, these findings underscore the growing recognition of natural hydrogen as a viable energy resource, supported by favorable economic prospects including comparatively low extraction costs. In addition, stimulated hydrogen production has been proposed as a means of enhancing natural yields. Research into natural hydrogen is also closely linked to studies on the origin of life on early Earth and is increasingly considered a valuable analogue for potential extraterrestrial habitats.
This session will address diverse aspects of natural hydrogen in both onshore and offshore environments, with particular emphasis on 1) its geological, geophysical, microbiological, and geochemical generation processes, 2) migration, accumulation and consumption mechanisms, 3) effective method and workflow of exploration, 4) thechno-economic analysis of the natural and stimulated hydrogen, and 5) the engineering approaches of production and recovery. We invite contributions from researchers, engineers, and industry professionals offering multidisciplinary perspectives on natural hydrogen.