Simplified conceptual and theoretical diagram of the stimulated production of orange hydrogen by injecting brine at a temperature well above that of the environment.
© Vema Hydrogen
BRGM is supporting VEMA Hydrogen through a collaborative R&D CICo contract (Crédit d'Impôt Collaboration de recherche) to help structure the modelling of stimulated geological hydrogen, known as "orange hydrogen".
Founded in 2024, VEMA Hydrogen's ambition is to offer an innovative, competitive solution with low production costs, that can be industrialised and has a low carbon footprint, and which is capable of contributing to the decarbonisation of industry and the development of a new energy sector.
More specifically, the hydrogen production technology developed by VEMA Hydrogen is based on the controlled stimulation of natural and spontaneous geochemical reactions in shallow underground mafic or ultramafic formations.
The principle involves injecting pressurised brine to accelerate the oxidation-reduction reactions of iron (serpentinisation) in the minerals of peridotites. These reactions produce hydrogen when a solution of salt water and catalysts is injected under controlled conditions.
Deploying innovative technology to help reduce carbon emissions
The collaboration between BRGM and VEMA Hydrogen illustrates the complementary possibilities of public research and industrial innovation, and demonstrates BRGM's ability to support innovative industrial actors in the energy transition in technologies with high decarbonisation potential.
It is part of BRGM's drive to strengthen its position in new subsurface energy uses and decarbonisation, in particular by contributing to the development of emerging sectors for the production of low-carbon hydrogen.
BRGM is a key institution in Earth sciences, so it was only natural that we should collaborate on our Engineered Mineral Hydrogen technology. This partnership will enable us to accelerate the scientific and industrial development of our technology to provide the low-carbon, affordable hydrogen needed for the energy transition.
MIMAROC, the 4D micro-tomography platform designed to explore the reactivity of geo-materials under stress, installed at BRGM in Orléans (2023).
© BRGM - Didier Depoorter
Advanced numerical modelling and experiments
The partnership draws on BRGM's expertise in dynamic modelling of geochemical transfers and processes in subsurface reservoirs in porous media, through its scientific software ComPASS and a geochemical calculation code, PHREEQC.
The R&D programme aims to integrate specific geochemical building blocks to simulate the thermo-hydro and chemical (THC) phenomena associated with the production of orange hydrogen.
This approach will make it possible to:
- improve our understanding of reaction mechanisms and transfers in geological environments;
- test different Injection and production scenarios, particularly with the MIMAROC platform;
- identify the scientific and technical obstacles to be overcome for a future industrial demonstrator.
In the field of stimulated geological hydrogen, VEMA Hydrogen will benefit from an exclusive right to exploit the joint results, while BRGM will be able to exploit the methodological developments in other applications linked to subsurface resources.
By combining geoscientific expertise, advanced numerical modelling and entrepreneurial ambition, BRGM and VEMA Hydrogen are helping to structure an emerging industry and position France in the strategic field of stimulated geological hydrogen.
A project supported by the CICo tax credit incentive
This benefits from the CICo incentive, introduced by the French government in 2022 to encourage partnerships between businesses and research organisations. This scheme enables companies to share the costs and results of an R&D project as part of collaborative research projects with an approved research body, such as BRGM.
