Western Iowa — A Colorado-based company will soon begin testing in Carroll County as it searches for hydrogen trapped underground. Scientists say natural hydrogen could be a source of clean energy. Chris Justice, a representative of Twin Rivers Exploration, says a truck that’s a little smaller than a garbage truck is used for what they call “vibro-seismic” testing.
Twin Rivers Exploration recently completed land surveys in Webster County and the company has mapped out a five-mile-square grid to survey, with the small Carroll County town of Lidderdale at its center. Scientists say when iron-rich rocks come into contact with water deep underground, hydrogen is generated, the hydrogen can get trapped under a dome. Justice describes the process of collecting it.
There’s only one well in the world currently collecting natural hydrogen from underground and it’s in Mali, a country on the west side of Africa. Drilling for hydrogen is underway in Europe, South America — and in Nebraska and Kansas. Justice says there would be a fairly large boost to the local economy if his company finds underground hydrogen in Carroll County.
Justice says the company’s trucks should arrive in Carroll County around August 19th and crews should complete their work in the area by the end of the month. The trucks will move at a one-mile-per-hour pace and the company will have people redirecting traffic, if necessary.
