Viridien Partners with Mantle8 to Enhance Natural Hydrogen Exploration in EMEA

Viridien has taken a strategic stake in the French natural hydrogen firm Mantle8, aiming to harness its cutting-edge data and sensing technologies to propel hydrogen exploration efforts throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. This partnership grants Mantle8 access to the GeoVerse geological database and the advanced Sercel Wing DFU 3C passive seismic sensors, tools that are poised to enhance the imaging of entire hydrogen systems and mitigate drilling risks.

Emmanuel Masini, founder and CEO of Mantle8, emphasized the significance of this collaboration, stating, "Europe is blessed with abundant low-emission natural hydrogen, and the drive to map these resources and initiate drilling is stronger than ever. This partnership gives us the ability to reach that goal much faster." Mantle8 has already recorded some of the highest concentrations of hydrogen in France and claims to have produced the first images of an active hydrogen system.

Earlier this year, Mantle8 secured €3.4 million in seed funding, establishing its objective to lower hydrogen production costs to €0.80 per kilogram and to identify 10 million tonnes of natural hydrogen by 2030, aligning with the European Union's decarbonization targets. Natural hydrogen, formed within the Earth’s crust and often found alongside helium, is emerging as a potentially low-cost and low-impact energy source.

Chris Page, Viridien’s executive vice president, highlighted the potential of merging the company’s unparalleled subsurface data with Mantle8's innovative technology. He remarked, "Together, we are enabling faster, more accurate identification of promising natural hydrogen zones, supporting a cleaner energy future for the EMEA region." However, the extraction of natural hydrogen remains in its infancy, with advocates suggesting that existing oil and gas technologies could be repurposed to facilitate large-scale viability.