Hydrogen: Formation, Demand & Applications
Hydrogen is the simplest, most abundant, and most common element. Almost three-quarters of all matter is made of this handy resource. Hydrogen easily attaches itself to other elements as building blocks to make atomic compounds. It consists of only one proton and one electron and is an odorless, colorless gas in its most stable state.
Hydrogen is a source, pathway, and carrier of useable energy. It stores and delivers highly efficient, clean, and powerful energy with zero emissions. Hydrogen's tendency towards combustion makes it a dangerous chemical element and a potent energy source.
Where is Hydrogen Found?
Hydrogen is not often found on its own in nature. It must be separated from its natural compounds and produced through chemical reactions.
Multiple diverse domestic resources can be utilized in the production of hydrogen. However, fossil fuels, specifically natural gas, are most commonly where usable hydrogen derives.
The future holds an abundance of new ways to generate hydrogen. As new technologies arise, cost-competitive methods such as solar energy and biomass are directly being used in production. One of these exciting new methods is the patented process of Hydrogen Generation from Hydrocarbons Sub-terrain (HGHS). This process is based on two industry-proven technologies, steam methane reforming and in-situ combustion.
Steam methane reforming (SMR) today produces approx. 95% of hydrogen in the petrochemical plants. Its main drawbacks are associated CO2 emissions and high CAPEX.
In-situ combustion* is used worldwide to produce heavy hydrocarbons.
HGHS is a complex process occurring subsurface that can be summarised in 4 steps:
Injection
Introduces a catalyst
Create high-temperature front
Conversion
Chemical conversion of methane to hydrogen
Industrial Steam Methane reforming process and decomposition
Storage
Separation of lighter hydrogen gasses from other heaver gasses
Functional and stable storage of greenhouse gases and black carbon
Gas reservoir converts to high pressure commercial H2 storage
Production
Purification and production of H2
There are trillions of cubic meters of depleted and abandoned oil fields worldwide. The gas remaining in these are deemed as non-commercial remaining reserves. The HSGS process enables the conversion of such fields into storage cells, ready to produce high-pressure hydrogen.
What is the Demand for Hydrogen?
The current and rapidly growing annual world demand for hydrogen amounts to 70 million tons. Because hydrogen is a clean energy source, it is becoming more commonly used as an environmentally friendly energy source.
In many applications, hydrogen and fuel cells have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions drastically. However, producing hydrogen at a cost-competitive rate with conventional fuels and technologies currently used continues to be the greatest challenge for hydrogen production.
Hydrogen is used in many industrial processes, including refining petroleum, treating metals, producing fertilizer, and processing foods.
By 2050, it is estimated that the hydrogen market will grow tenfold and continue to be crucial to the global energy transition. The future of Hydrogen production includes:
Disruptive technology for large scale production of cheap, emission-free Hydrogen
Hydrogen can be stored in large quantities in a reservoir when demand fluctuates
Huge global gas reserves give almost unlimited scalability and expansion possibilities
How can HGHS help?
HGHS is a perpetually green alternative:
• Greenhouse gasses are permanently stored in the reservoir
• Lowest achievable hydrogen production cost of a process
• No need for CO2 pipelines/ transportation.
To learn more about Hydrogen Generation from Hydrocarbons Sub-terrain (HGHS), visit: https://www.hydrogen-source.com/
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References
SATYAPAL, S. U. N. I. T. A. (2017, February 21). Hydrogen: A clean, flexible energy carrier. Energy.gov. Retrieved March 1, 2022, from https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/hydrogen-clean-flexible-energy-carrier
Technology: Hydrogen-source. hydrogen. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2022, from https://www.hydrogen-source.com/technology
Granger, A. (2019, August 31). The history and uses of Hydrogen. Let's Talk Science. Retrieved March 1, 2022, from https://letstalkscience.ca/educational-resources/stem-in-context/history-and-uses-hydrogen