France's Lorraine region uncovers massive natural hydrogen deposit

In 2023 a deep drilling operation in the Lorraine region of eastern France, conducted by the energy company La Française de l’Énergie (FDE), revealed exceptionally high concentrations of natural hydrogen in the subsurface. Measurements showed 36.1 % hydrogen at a depth of 2,242 m and 49.6 % at 2,426 m, with earlier samples around 1,200 m indicating nearly 20 % hydrogen. The well, reaching 3,655 m, is the deepest ever drilled specifically for hydrogen. Estimates of the total hydrogen resource range from 34 to 46 million tonnes, which international media have valued at roughly €60 billion based on a $2,000 per tonne price. FDE plans further studies of hydrogen flow and production potential, targeting the start of commercial natural‑hydrogen production in early 2029. CEO Antoine Forcinal said, “This is no longer a scientific hypothesis. We are reducing risks step by step in a project that could become one of Europe’s first industrial‑scale natural hydrogen projects.”