Overview
- Française de l’énergie, which announced results Tuesday, said a 3,655‑meter well at Pontpierre confirmed a large presence of natural hydrogen.
- The winter campaign used a 41‑meter rig and collected 58 samples that mapped several hydrogen‑bearing zones.
- Follow‑up research under the Regalor II project will measure dissolved concentrations and test downhole separation tools with GeoRessources, CNRS, Solexperts and support from Saint‑Gobain.
- CNRS estimates about 34 million tonnes in a reservoir that extends into Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, and FDE holds an exclusive 2,254‑km² research area across more than 300 communes.
- Experts say the hydrogen is dissolved in groundwater and extraction tech is not yet ready, with roughly two years to size the resource and seek an industrial permit and no exploitation expected before 2028.