IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,723,499
Granted Patent B2
US 12,723,499 · App. 18/753,014 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Electrical stimulation of hydrogen-producing rocks and reservoirs

Inventors: Alexis Templeton (Boulder, CO); William Aertker (Denver, CO); Rafael Villamor-Lora (Brookline, MA); Vikas Agrawal (Medford, MA); Jacob Newmark (Somerville, MA)
Assignee: Eden GeoPower, Inc.
E21B43/20C01B3/06C09K8/70E21B43/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,723,499
App. No.
18/753,014
Granted
Sep 1, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods for producing and extracting geologic hydrogen from rock formations, and related systems, are generally disclosed.

Claims (35)

1 . A method for generating and extracting geologic hydrogen, the method comprising:

applying a current to a subterranean formation;

electrically fracturing the subterranean formation in response to the applied current;

injecting water into the subterranean formation;

reacting the injected water with iron from the subterranean formation to generate hydrogen; and

extracting the hydrogen from the subterranean formation.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising injecting a fluid into the subterranean formation prior to applying the current.

3 . A method for generating and extracting geologic hydrogen, the method comprising:

injecting a fluid comprising carbon dioxide into a subterranean formation;

applying a current to the fluid within the subterranean formation to electrically fracture the subterranean formation;

depositing at least portion of the carbon dioxide of the fluid into the subterranean formation;

reacting the injected fluid with iron from the subterranean formation to generate hydrogen; and

extracting the hydrogen from the subterranean formation.

4 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising fracturing the subterranean formation.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein electrically fracturing comprises forming new fractures within the subterranean formation that were not present prior to applying the current.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising Joule heating at least a portion of the subterranean formation.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subterranean formation has a hardness of greater than or equal to 2 Mohs.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subterranean formation has a weight percentage of iron (Fe) greater than or equal to 1 wt %.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subterranean formation has a weight percentage of silicon (Si) greater than or equal to 1 wt %.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a permeability of the subterranean formation prior to injecting the water is less than or equal to 10-12 m 2 .

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a permeability of the subterranean formation prior to injection of the water is less than or equal to 10-20 m 2 .

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising increasing a temperature of the subterranean formation between or equal to 25° C. and 500° C. to increase production of hydrogen.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising increasing a temperature of the subterranean formation between or equal to 100° C. and 350° C. to increase production of hydrogen.

14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining an average temperature of the subterranean formation that is greater than or equal to 0° C. and less than or equal to 500° C.

15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining an average temperature of the subterranean formation that is greater than or equal to 250° C. and less than or equal to 350° C.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subterranean formation is a peridotite, iron-rich, olivine-rich, mafic, ultra-mafic, and/or massive sulfide rock formation.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subterranean formation comprises Si-bearing rocks, felsic rocks, silicic rocks, mafic rocks, ultramafic rocks, porphyry deposits, both high and low sulfidation epithermal deposits, skarn deposits, orogenic gold deposits, quartzite, sandstone, metapelites, metabasites, rhyolite, dacite syenite, monzonite, and/or granite.

18 . A system comprising:

a power source;

at least two electrodes connected to the power source;

at least one pump; and

at least one processor configured to operate the power source and the at least one pump to perform the method of claim 1 .

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a permeability of the subterranean formation after fracturing is increased by a factor of between or equal to 10 times and 100 times an original permeability of the subterranean formation prior to fracturing.

20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a peak voltage applied when electrically fracturing the subterranean formation is between or equal to 100 kV and 800 kV.

21 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising injecting water into the subterranean formation to generate the hydrogen.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 23, 2024
From: TEMPLETON, ALEXIS; AERTKER, WILLIAM; VILLAMOR-LORA, RAFAEL; AGRAWAL, VIKAS; ALALI, AMMAR
To: EDEN GEOPOWER, INC.
Reel/Frame 068659/0491 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2024
From: NEWMARK, JACOB
To: EDEN GEOPOWER, INC.
Reel/Frame 068555/0408 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 63567187 · Mar 19, 2024
Provisional Application 63510220 · Jun 26, 2023
Related Publication 20240426198A1 · Dec 26, 2024
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