Omar Maiga
Omar MAIGA is a geoscientist involved in exploring and highlighting Mali’s and Africa's potential in natural hydrogen and helium; and advising African public decision-makers, universities and business leaders worldwide in developing these crucial resources.
With a PhD degree in 3D geological and geophysical characterization of natural hydrogen reservoirs from Sorbonne university, Dr. Omar MAIGA began his academic journey with a master’s degree in Earth Sciences at Toulouse Paul Sabatier University, during which he contributed to significant projects such as WAXI, aimed at exploring the gold potential in the West Africa Craton.
His PhD research focused on the Bourakebougou field and led to groundbreaking discoveries in natural hydrogen reservoirs systems, notably the spontaneous recharging dynamics, and the various processes involved in accumulating and trapping large volumes of natural hydrogen.
These works has positioned him as the world’s leading expert specialized in the characterization of natural hydrogen reservoirs, and was carried out in partnership between Hydroma and French Institute of Petroleum and New energy IFPEN.
Beyond his academic and research achievements, Dr. Maïga has also completed a second master’s degree in MBA entrepreneurship and projects focusing on the natural hydrogen market and its technologies, benefiting him with a dual expertise.
Following the success of the Bourakebougou field, which has been in operation since 2012 by Hydroma, Mali has emerged as a promising site for natural hydrogen exploration and exploitation. The discovery of the Bougou-1 well, which contains 98% hydrogen and has been producing electricity for nearly a decade, has highlighted Mali's potential in natural hydrogen, as well as several intracratonic sites, in providing a clean energy source for humankind.
Through recent documentation reviews, local data cross-referencing, and field prospections, we identify, in the southern part of Mali, the presence of other cemented and protected wells similar to the famous Bougou-1 in different other villages.
This study focuses on one of these new sites, specifically on a well initially drilled in the same period as the Bougou-1 but which has remained cemented until now. Although the exact history of this specific well and the reason for its cementation and protection being currently reconstructed across the local village, the study presents the preliminary geological and geochemical studies of this new area in Mali.
The insights gained from this research aim to enhance our understanding of gas accumulations and extensions in the Malian context, as well as to confirm Mali's position as a critical hub for future hydrogen energy developments.
Co-authors : Fané, Mohamed2, Diallo. Mahamadou3, Sissmann. Olivier3, Guelard. Julia3, Deville. Eric3
1Department of Science and Exploration, HNAT- GeoH2 Consult, Bamako, Mali - omar.maiga223@gmail.com
2Department of Databases, National Petroleum Research Office, Bamako, Mali
3Department of Geology and Mines, National School of Engineers, ENI-ABT, Bamako, Mali
4IFP Energies nouvelles, Rueil-Malmaison, France
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