Imagine turning millions of abandoned oil wells – environmental liabilities scattered across the U.S. – into clean hydrogen factories. That's the ambitious goal of Eclipse Energy, and it could revolutionize how we think about stranded energy assets. Up to 3 million oil and gas wells have been abandoned in the US alone, often because extracting the remaining oil or gas simply isn't profitable with conventional methods. But here's where it gets controversial...what if we could coax energy out of those wells without more drilling or environmentally damaging extraction techniques?
Prab Sekhon, CEO of Eclipse Energy, explains that these wells often still contain significant amounts of oil. “They’ve tried everything,” Sekhon told TechCrunch, highlighting the frustration felt by many energy companies. “There’s still a ton of oil left behind.” Eclipse Energy isn't focused on recovering that leftover oil through traditional methods. Instead, they're employing a clever, nature-based solution: microbes.
Think of it like this: instead of trying to force the remaining oil to the surface, Eclipse sends specially selected microbes down into the well. These microbes then 'eat' the oil molecules, a process that naturally releases hydrogen. And this is the part most people miss... This process generates hydrogen far more efficiently than other methods of extracting oil, without the need for complex, high-pressure extraction.
The beauty of this approach is that instead of dealing with thick, viscous oil, companies only need to extract hydrogen gas. As Sekhon points out, “Hydrogen flows a lot easier,” making the entire extraction process significantly simpler and more cost-effective. It’s like turning molasses into water – a much easier substance to manage.
Eclipse Energy, a Houston-based startup spun out of Cemvita, demonstrated its innovative technology in California’s San Joaquin Basin last summer. Now, they're scaling up their operations by partnering with Weatherford International, a major oilfield services company. This partnership, revealed exclusively to TechCrunch, will allow Eclipse to deploy its technology globally, with initial projects slated to begin in January. “They’re an extension of our team,” Sekhon said, emphasizing the collaborative nature of the relationship with Weatherford. “They’ll be our operational arm.”
Eclipse, previously known as Gold H2, has dedicated years to refining its technology. The company has been meticulously sampling microbes that naturally thrive in oil wells – specifically those living at the interface between oil and water within aquifers – to identify the most effective hydrogen-producing strains. These microbes are like tiny, natural refineries, working tirelessly to convert oil into usable energy.
As these microbes consume the oil, they break it down into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Both gases then flow to the surface. Eclipse and its partners plan to separate the two gases using specialized equipment. Here's a critical point: about half of the carbon dioxide generated is expected to remain trapped within the underground reservoir, potentially contributing to carbon sequestration. The remaining half could be captured and either sequestered further or used for other industrial purposes. This is a key factor in reducing the environmental impact of the process.
The ultimate goal, according to Sekhon, is to produce low-carbon hydrogen at around 50 cents per kilogram. This price point is significant because it matches the cost of hydrogen produced by breaking down natural gas in industrial plants – a process that releases considerably more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, according to the IEA.
This resulting hydrogen has a wide range of potential applications. It could be used in petrochemical plants as a feedstock or burned for energy generation in power plants or fuel cells. "It’s taking a liability and turning it into a clean energy asset,” Sekhon concludes, perfectly capturing the transformative potential of Eclipse Energy's technology. Could this be a game-changer for both the energy industry and the environment? Is turning abandoned oil wells into Hydrogen production sites a valid method of clean energy? What are your thoughts on using microbes to extract resources? Let us know in the comments below!
