Oklahoma State University (OSU) is leading a new interdisciplinary research effort to explore the potential of white hydrogen as a clean, renewable energy resource.
The project is led by Prem Bikkina, SPE, OSU professor and Harold Courson Chair in Petroleum Engineering, with collaboration from geologists Priyank Jaiswal and Javier Vilcaez Perez from OSU’s Boone Pickens School of Geology.
Funded by a 1-year planning grant from the OSU Hamm Institute for American Energy, the research focuses on compiling and analyzing geological and geochemical data to estimate white hydrogen availability in Oklahoma and surrounding states.
The team will also assess the feasibility of sustainable extraction, identify promising collection zones, and develop datasets to guide future exploration and drilling efforts.
White hydrogen forms naturally in rock formations, sometimes absorbed by minerals or dissolved in groundwater near tectonic zones. It has similar applications to other hydrogen sources, including clean transportation, power generation, and industrial use.
“White hydrogen is an emerging frontier in clean energy,” Bikkina said. “This planning effort represents a proactive step by OSU and the Hamm Institute to explore its promise. The research has implications not only for Oklahoma but also for global energy sustainability and innovation leadership.”