In extracting the hydrogen from these specific locations through wells could help situate the company at the forefront of the global hydrogen economy and enable the decarbonisation of multiple hard-to-abate industries.

Read more: DME expands into hydrogen and compressed air energy storage

According to Robert Rohlfing, CEO of DME, the company could harness the natural hydrogen and use it for decarbonisation, “Our excellent geologic and drilling team is meeting and hitting our objectives in this well. The company is now six for six in drilling wells in Arizona. We had originally seen multiple hydrogen bearing zones in wells #4 and #5.

“In well #4 we were not able to sample the hydrogen other than with the mass spectrometer. In well #5 & #6 we were able to see the full spectrum of all known elements and were able to decern that in three hydrogen bearing zones.

“Our internal geographic modelling has thus far, been within 2′ plus or minus on all helium and hydrogen bearing zones.

“Therefore, the Company feels that its current private and state leaseholds encompass all of the water-free production areas within the inferred nine to ten square miles of this field for both helium and hydrogen.”

Rohlfing continued, “We strive to be the successful innovators of our industry.  The company is moving forward, innovating and developing responsible drilling techniques in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

“This serves to protect the surface and aquifers for future generations of Arizonians.  In that spirit, we have chosen to work with the various state agencies to develop guidelines, based on our successes in varied downhole environments, then pass on critical information to any company drilling any type of well in Arizona so that the water resources can be protected.”