Microbes Transform Idle Oil Wells into Hydrogen Factories
▼ Summary
– Up to 3 million abandoned U.S. oil and gas wells contain significant leftover oil that is uneconomical to pump using traditional methods.
– Eclipse Energy uses specially selected microbes to consume the residual oil in these wells, breaking it down into hydrogen and carbon dioxide gas.
– The resulting hydrogen gas is much easier to extract than viscous oil, and the process aims to produce low-carbon hydrogen at a competitive cost.
– Eclipse has demonstrated the technology and is partnering with Weatherford International to deploy it globally, starting with projects in January.
– This approach transforms abandoned wells from liabilities into clean energy assets by producing hydrogen for use in industry or power generation.
Across the United States, an estimated three million abandoned oil and gas wells sit idle, often still holding significant reserves that are no longer economical to extract through conventional methods. A novel approach is emerging to repurpose these dormant sites, transforming them into sources of clean energy. Instead of trying to pump out the remaining oil, a Houston-based startup is deploying specially selected microbes deep into the reservoirs to biologically convert the hydrocarbons into hydrogen gas.
Eclipse Energy, a company spun out from Cemvita, has developed this microbial conversion technology. As CEO Prab Sekhon explains, the process involves introducing microorganisms that naturally feed on oil molecules. “They’ve tried everything,” Sekhon noted regarding traditional recovery efforts. “There’s still a ton of oil left behind.” These microbes break down the complex hydrocarbons, liberating hydrogen and carbon dioxide in the process. The resulting hydrogen gas flows much more easily to the surface than viscous crude oil, simplifying extraction.
The company successfully demonstrated its technology last summer at an oilfield in California’s San Joaquin Basin. Building on that proof of concept, Eclipse has now formed a strategic global partnership with the major oilfield services firm Weatherford International. This collaboration will see Weatherford act as the operational arm for deploying the technology worldwide, with the first commercial projects slated to begin early next year. Sekhon described the relationship as a seamless extension of the Eclipse team.
Over several years of development, formerly operating as Gold H2, Eclipse has meticulously sampled and studied microbes native to oil reservoirs. These organisms thrive at the interface between oil and the water present in underground aquifers. Researchers identified and selected the strains most effective at consuming oil and producing hydrogen. As the microbes metabolize the hydrocarbons, they generate a mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide that is brought to the surface for separation.
A portion of the carbon dioxide produced is expected to remain trapped in the geological reservoir. The remainder can be captured using specialized equipment at the surface for sequestration or industrial use. This integrated approach is central to Eclipse’s economic and environmental goal: to produce low-carbon hydrogen for approximately 50 cents per kilogram. This target price is competitive with hydrogen derived from natural gas through conventional steam methane reforming, a process with a significantly higher carbon footprint.
The hydrogen generated from these old wells could be used as a feedstock in petrochemical manufacturing or as a clean fuel for power generation. This innovative method offers a dual benefit by addressing the environmental liability of orphaned wells while creating a new stream of clean energy. As Sekhon puts it, the technology is fundamentally about “taking a liability and turning it into a clean energy asset,” offering a promising path to repurpose existing infrastructure for a more sustainable energy future.
(Source: TechCrunch)