Unlike the Sue Duroche 3 well, drilled in April and recording hydrogen up to 96%, the McCoy 1 well at the Nemaha project was sunk 9km away within the same fault block. HyTerra stated this step-out drilling confirms the system extends beyond a single site, supporting its potential as a scalable hydrogen-helium play.

The discovery came just five months after HyTerra kicked off its first Kansas drilling campaign. In March, the company highlighted reports of hydrogen concentrations of 92% and up to 3% helium at the Nemaha site.

© HyTerra

Furthermore, helium levels of 5% far exceed Kansas’ traditional 0.25-2.5%, making the Nemaha project commercially significant.

HyTerra said further results will be reported in the coming weeks as data analysis progresses. Production tests will show if the hydrogen and helium can be commercially extracted at scale.

“HyTerra is excited to now see if McCoy 1 is also naturally fractured and capable of inflow like Blythe 13-20 and Sue Duroche 3,” explained Benjamin Mee, Executive Director at HyTerra.

“This will be able to be determined once all the data is analysed. These results will feed into the design and planning of a production test program required to fully appraise steady state gas flow rates and compositions.”

HyTerra controls 3,116 contiguous net acres around McCoy 1, strategically positioned by Interstate 70, a major US transport artery. Drill contractor Murfin Drilling Company has delivered three wells on time and on budget at Nemaha, including McCoy 1.

The drilling campaign is backed by Fortescue Future Industries Technologies, which holds a 40% stake in HyTerra.