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In this Energy Horizons episode of the Greenberg Traurig E2 Energy Law Podcast, host and of counsel Nikki Wise and Bill Garner, co-chair of the firm’s global Energy Practice, examine one of 2026's most compelling emerging energy stories: the discovery and early-stage development of natural hydrogen, also known as white or geologic hydrogen, across the Middle East.
Bill opens with an update on a landmark development in France, where Francaise De l'Energie has drilled the deepest well in the world specifically targeting natural hydrogen, reaching approximately 3,500 meters in the Lorraine region's abandoned coal mines. He then turns to the Middle East, where the unique geology of the region, including serpentinized ultramafic rock and ophiolitic formations, is generating significant exploration activity.
The discussion highlights Oman as the region's clear first mover, with visible hydrogen seepage already documented, an MOU between SOHAR Port and Freezone and Swiss firm HYNAT, a US Department of Energy-backed project by GeoPower, and a recent exclusive evaluation agreement between Australian company HyTerra and ARA Natural Resources focused on the Samail Ophiolite. Bill notes that Oman's flexible petroleum law gives it a regulatory head start. The episode also covers Saudi Arabia's early-stage Aramco pilot investigations, and the UAE's establishment of a natural hydrogen research institute in Abu Dhabi, along with Irish company Decahydran's confirmed natural hydrogen well in Sharjah and its commercial partnerships with Weatherford International, Sharjah National Oil Company, and Siemens Energy.
Bill and Nikki explore the legal and business dimensions of this emerging industry, noting that new regulatory frameworks, mining laws, environmental assessments, international trade agreements, and commercial contracts are effectively being written in real time, creating significant opportunities for legal practitioners and investors alike.
The episode closes with a realistic look at the long timeline to commercialization and the geopolitical complexities affecting the region, before previewing the next episode, which will focus on natural hydrogen development and legal considerations in the United States.
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