HyTerra Begins U.S. Drilling for Natural Hydrogen, Backed by Andrew Forrest

HyTerra, an Australian trailblazer in the hunt for underground natural hydrogen, has just kicked off its first round of exploratory drilling in the United States. Backed by none other than Australian billionaire and Fortescue Metals Group founder Andrew Forrest, the move signals a major step forward for what could be the clean energy industry’s most untapped—and game-changing—resource.

So, Why Are People Suddenly Talking About Natural Hydrogen?

Unlike the more familiar types of hydrogen production—which rely on methane reforming or energy-heavy electrolysis—natural hydrogen (also called white or geologic hydrogen) is straight from the Earth. It forms naturally deep underground through geological processes, and if we can figure out how to tap into it at scale, it could blow open the doors to low-cost, low-carbon hydrogen without the fossil fuels or soaring electricity bills.

That’s a big deal for sectors like heavy industry and long-haul transport, where cutting emissions is tough and clean energy alternatives are often too expensive or complicated. Natural hydrogen could be the simple, scalable answer nobody saw coming.

Here’s What We Know About the Drilling Project

• Where: Somewhere in the U.S.—HyTerra hasn’t revealed the exact location yet, but it’s likely in an area with promising geologic features like ancient cratons or large sedimentary basins
• How: They’re using cutting-edge drilling technology and geological survey tools to detect underground hydrogen reservoirs and evaluate things like purity, flow rate, and long-term viability
• Why: The goal is to figure out whether it’s possible to extract natural hydrogen in volumes large enough—and clean enough—to make the economics work

“This isn’t just about science anymore—it could completely shake up the way we get clean hydrogen,” said one industry insider. “If the numbers check out, this could change the entire cost equation.”

A Potential Disruptor in the Clean Hydrogen Market

HyTerra‘s timing is no accident. Right now, the world is scrambling to scale up green hydrogen, pumping billions of dollars into electrolysis-based infrastructure. The problem? It’s still expensive.

But if natural hydrogen (geological hydrogen) can be extracted cleanly and sold at under $1 a kilo—as some early data suggests—that would flip the hydrogen game on its head. We’re talking about a clean fuel source that could be cheaper than fossil fuels and way easier to deploy in challenging industries.

What Andrew Forrest Brings to the Table

Andrew Forrest isn’t just lending his name—he’s all in. Through his clean energy arm, Fortescue Future Industries (FFI), he’s investing in everything from green hydrogen plants to export infrastructure. Now, with his support behind HyTerra, the company gets a serious dose of financial muscle, global visibility, and access to offtake deals that startups can only dream of.

It also marks a shift in Forrest’s clean energy strategy. After betting big on hydrogen made with electrolysis, he’s now exploring whether the planet might already be producing clean hydrogen for us—we just hadn’t thought to look.

How They’re Actually Finding This Hydrogen

Hydrogen exploration is still a pretty new science. HyTerra’s geologists are focusing on specific rock types, like iron-rich formations, and structures such as faults and fractures where hydrogen might collect. They’re using tools like seismic imaging, gas sniffers, and of course, good ol’ fashioned drilling to get below the surface and see what’s there.

After pulling up core samples, the material goes off to the lab to test for things like purity (they’re aiming for over 90% H₂), flow potential, pressure, and any unwanted gases like methane or CO₂.

But here’s the kicker: it’s not just about hitting hydrogen—it’s about whether it flows consistently over long periods, which takes time and patience to figure out.

See how Mantle8 worked to discover White hydrogen in France.

The Stakes Are High—And So Are the Risks

This is still a frontier play. Every hole they drill is a calculated gamble. Even when you find hydrogen, you might not find enough of it—or it might not be pure or steady enough to make a real business out of it. Plus, environmental regulations are still catching up with this kind of hydrogen production, so there’s that hurdle too.

But the potential reward is turning heads globally. Projects in France and Mali have already struck promising hydrogen seeps, and HyTerra is aiming to take those early wins and turn them into full-scale, profitable operations.

“All it takes is one high-volume find, and suddenly the clean energy landscape looks very different,” said a longtime investor specializing in hydrogen projects.

Could Natural Hydrogen Be the Missing Piece?

As countries race toward zero-emissions targets, the solutions that win might be the ones that are the simplest. No need for solar panels, wind farms or high-voltage lines. Just find the hydrogen, open the tap, and go.

It’s still early days. There are lots of unknowns buried deep underground. But make no mistake: HyTerra’s drilling campaign represents the official start of a new chapter in the clean energy story—one where natural hydrogen might just become the unsung hero.