Teo Hage

Geological Hydrogen exploration is a complex process that involves understanding both mineral and hydrocarbon systems. This includes the mineral content, fluid conduits, as well as the generation, migration, and trapping of hydrogen gas. To successfully explore for H2 systems, we need to integrate knowledge from these different branches of geosciences.Xcalibur, having conducted extensive airborne surveys for both sectors, is uniquely positioned to apply its existing Airborne Geophysical tools to aid in the search for geological hydrogen. Currently, the Falcon Gravity Gradiometer Technology is being extensively used to map and evaluate the geology, thereby identifying potential locations for Hydrogen exploration.However, while the current generation of Airborne Gravity Gradiometer (AGG) systems is well-suited to mapping the vital structural boundaries, faults, structure and basement geology which are critical to Hydrogen systems, their sensitivity and resolution are not sufficient to image more subtle geological features. These features may be crucial at the prospect scale when evaluating H2 accumulation or migration pathways at the prospect/Exploration & Production (E&P) scale.To address this, Xcalibur and Lockheed Martin are developing the next-generation gravity gradiometer, known as the Condor Airborne Laplacian Gradiometer. This instrument is designed to directly measure the Gravity Tensor at a single point in space, eliminating the need for measurements in a rotating reference frame. With the sub-systems validation component of the program concluded, there is high confidence that the desired performance will be achieved. Modelling has shown that the Condor has the potential to provide low noise data to such an extent that instrumentation noise becomes irrelevant. Condor should provide better quality gravity data than all other airborne and marine and moving-base ground sensor technology. As a button on to either FALCON or CONDOR, or as a standalone system, Xcalibur has progressed with the development of H-MAS, a Hydrogen Raman Spectrometer. Designed to measure the concentration of atmospheric Hydrogen just above the earth’s surface, H-MAS will be capable of measuring concentrations to a few parts per million. The primary goal of H-MAS is to measure H2 concentrations, it can also be configured to measure methane and a few other gases that exhibit Raman scattering. The recipient of a Curtin University Trailblazer grant to commercialise the technology, the technology, proven in the lab, is moving rapidly to becoming a deployable instrument.Xcalibur believes that this combination of very high-resolution gravity measurements and the simultaneous deployment of the H-MAS spectrometer provides a unique and powerful tool in the search for Geological Hydrogen