A Houston-based startup says it has successfully produced hydrogen from a mature California oil field using a process that uses bioengineered crude-eating microbes.
Gold H2, a subsidiary of bioengineering firm Cemvita, described its pilot in the San Joaquin Basin as the first to yield commercial volumes of hydrogen through a microbiology-driven method in a geologic formation. The company said the test, which used a huff-and-puff cyclic technique, achieved hydrogen concentrations of 400,000 ppm, making up 40% of the total production stream.
Calling the result an “unprecedented concentration,” Gold H2 said it is “a strong indicator of just how robust the process can perform under real-world conditions.” The company aims to produce hydrogen at a cost below $0.50/kg, far below today’s typical market prices ranging from $5 to $12/kg.
The recent pilot builds on a 2022 field test run by parent company Cemvita in the Permian Basin. Following that test, Cemvita said about 20% of its production costs were expected to go toward capturing and sequestering CO₂ emissions, a byproduct of the microbial process.
Gold H2 says its approach offers a lower-emissions alternative to conventional hydrogen production, which primarily relies on the energy-intensive methods of electrolysis and steam methane reforming.
“Gold H2 exists to do what no one ever has: produce clean hydrogen directly in the subsurface using biology, engineering, and existing energy infrastructure,” said Prabhdeep Singh Sekhon, CEO of GoldH2. “This field trial is tangible proof.”
The company estimates that California’s depleted oil fields may generate up to 250 billion kg of hydrogen per year, potentially offsetting as much as 1 billion metric tons of CO2 emissions.
ChampionX, a provider of oilfield chemical services, participated in the pilot. “As a technology-focused company that supports sustainable energy production through the entire life cycle of a well, we’re excited by the results of Gold H2’s field trial and what it could mean for the future of clean hydrogen production,” said Deric Bryant, chief operating officer of chemical technologies at ChampionX.
Gold H2 said it plans to expand its pilot program with additional wells and partnerships with other companies across North America and beyond.
