HyTerra Limited Announces Breakthrough Kansas Discovery: 96% Hydrogen & 5% Helium Unveiled, Pioneering a New Era for Clean Energy Investment
Thursday, May 22, 2025
at
9:05 am
HyTerra Limited’s Sue Duroche 3 well in Kansas, USA, reveals exceptional hydrogen readings up to 96% and notable helium levels. These strong early results support the company's 12‐month exploration program to tap into naturally occurring low-carbon hydrogen, offering exciting prospects for emerging energy investors.
HyTerra Limited announced encouraging exploration results from its Sue Duroche 3 well at the Nemaha Project in Kansas, USA. The well, drilled to a true vertical depth of 1,052 meters (3,453 feet), recorded exceptional mud gas readings, with independent laboratory analyses verifying hydrogen concentrations reaching up to 96% and helium at 5%. These results echo historical measurements from the Sue Duroche 2 well in 2009, where levels of up to 92% hydrogen and 3% helium were observed, positioning these findings among the highest ever recorded for the USA.
The company, operating through its wholly owned subsidiary HYT Operating LLC, has quickly transitioned the Sue Duroche 3 well into a long-term surface pressure and gas monitoring site. The well, drilled on schedule and on budget with no reported safety incidents, underwent comprehensive testing, including real-time mud gas logging by Schlumberger and subsequent laboratory analysis. Data indicates that hydrogen is predominantly present in the sedimentary section above 335 meters (1,100 feet), while helium concentrations are more pronounced in the underlying Pre-Cambrian basement, with a marked increase detected between 824 and 853 meters (2700–2800 feet) measured in depth.
Technical details reveal that the mud gas logs and laboratory-corrected samples provide new insights into the subsurface gas distribution. The calibrated data points were critical in confirming the presence of a viable hydrogen play in the region, with petrophysical analyses further highlighting zones of porosity, dolomitization in carbonate rocks, and open fractures within the basement. The findings are particularly noteworthy considering Kansas’s status as a long-established hub for helium production, where typical concentrations in conventional reservoirs range from 0.25% to 2.5%.
Investors may view the news with mixed sentiment. On the bullish side, the detection of unusually high concentrations of hydrogen and helium, combined with immediate conversion of the well for long-term monitoring, supports the potential for significant low-carbon natural hydrogen production. The strategic location in Kansas, supported by decades of helium production and robust local infrastructure, could bode well for future commercial development. Conversely, the bearish perspective emphasizes the inherent geological and operational uncertainties in early-stage exploration. Concerns remain regarding the actual recovery rates, variability in subsurface conditions, and the economic viability of extraction processes, all of which require further validation through extended testing.
Overall, the results from the Sue Duroche 3 well represent an important milestone in HyTerra Limited’s 12-month exploration program funded by recent strategic investment. The technical indicators and operational progress suggest potential upside in a promising low-carbon hydrogen framework, even as the company continues to navigate the inherent risks associated with pioneering exploration in emerging energy resources.