Exploring Synergies Between Natural Hydrogen and Geothermal Prospecting - Technical Presentation

This panel features:
Eric Gaucher, Chief Executive Officer, Lavoisier H2 Geoconsult
Gabriel Pasquet, Post Doctorate, The University of Pau and Pays of Adour
Geoffrey Ellis, Research Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey
Helen Doran, Lead Geologist, Project InnerSpace

About the Speakers:

Eric C. Gaucher is a geochemist expert. His work focuses on water–rock–gas interactions at the laboratory scale up to basin scale using experimental, field and numerical modeling methods. He is committed in all geo-energy sectors (Nuclear Waste management, CO2 & H2 storage, Geothermal energy, lithium extraction from brines, evolution of porous medium in carbonate reservoirs, environmental concerns related to oil&gas shale). He is a leader for Natural H2 Exploration.

After 19 years in academic research (CEA, BRGM in France and the University of Bern in Switzerland) and 10 years in industry (TotalEnergies), he is now building bridges between the worlds of research and industry with a new start-up: Lavoisier H2 Geoconsult.

He graduated with two master degrees in 1993. The first was a Master of Earth Sciences from Lyon I University & École Normale Supérieure. The second was a Master of Hydrology from the Paris Orsay University. He also completed his water-rock interaction PhD with CEA and the Paris VII University in 1998.

Focused on solving industrial problems using the most advanced scientific methods, he has solved problems linked to the stability of clays and cements, CO2 control by rocks and, carbonate diagenesis. Since 2016, he has been developing exploration methods for natural hydrogen gas (H2) and assessing the reserves of this new geo-energy.

He is the task leader for Natural Hydrogen for the International Energy Agency.

Dr. Geoffrey Ellis is a research geologist and the project chief of the Potential for Geologic Hydrogen Gas Resources project within the Energy Resources Program (ERP) of the U.S. Geological Survey. He is also an affiliated faculty member in the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines and the chair of the Hydrogen Resources and Storage Committee within the Energy Minerals Division of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. He holds an AB in Geological Sciences from Cornell University, an MSc in Geochemistry from the Colorado School of Mines, and a PhD in Marine Geology and Geophysics from the University of Miami. Prior to joining the ERP, he worked as a staff scientist in the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology, as a research chemist in the Water Resources Division of the USGS, and as a consultant in environmental and resource exploration geochemistry. His research interests include organic-inorganic interactions in geologic settings, gas isotope geochemistry, and the potential for natural hydrogen resources.
Dr. Helen Doran holds the position of Lead Geologist at Project InnerSpace, carrying the responsibility for executing and delivering Phase I, the 'Global Mapping Project.' This initiative encompasses seven fully funded Project InnerSpace research grants, tailored to enhance the quality, precision, and metadata of critical subsurface datasets. These datasets collectively contribute to the development of an extensive global geothermal prospectivity map, poised to significantly expedite progress in geothermal exploration.

With a career spanning 23 years, Dr. Doran has deep expertise in the modelling of heat flow within sedimentary basins. Her initial involvement was in the oil and gas industry, followed by a more recent focus on the geothermal sector. She is utilizing her experience within Project InnerSpace to spearhead the advancement of geothermal exploration beyond traditional areas into previously unexplored sedimentary basins.

She has held technical leadership roles in Causeway GT, bp, and Ophir Energy prior to joining Project InnerSpace. Dr. Doran has co-authored several noteworthy publications, among them her latest book, currently in press: "Strike-slip terrains and transform margins; structural architecture, thermal regimes, and fluid systems."