Arabian Post Staff -Dubai
The arrangement with the Ras Al Khaimah Department of Energy allows the Grenoble-based company to begin a non-invasive investigation of the block’s underground geology before any decision on drilling or commercial development. The company will finance the programme, which is expected to run for up to 24 months.
More than 1,000 passive seismic sensors are planned for deployment as part of the fieldwork. These instruments will gather information about subsurface structures without the initial drilling required to establish whether potentially productive hydrogen accumulations exist.
The distinction between permission to investigate and a production licence is important. Mantle8 has secured exclusivity to negotiate a subsequent exploration contract, rather than confirmation of commercially recoverable reserves or an unconditional right to extract hydrogen.
Jean-Valery Garcia, Mantle8’s regional director for the Middle East, said the agreement provides an opportunity to undertake extensive geological analysis before the parties consider a fuller exploration arrangement. Drilling would depend on whether the initial results justify proceeding.
The survey will examine geological conditions around the northern end of the Semail Ophiolite, a major formation extending through the Hajar Mountains of Oman and the UAE. Its ultrabasic rocks are of particular interest because reactions involving water and iron-bearing minerals can generate hydrogen underground.
Fault systems may also influence how hydrogen migrates towards the surface or becomes trapped beneath impermeable rock. Observations of hydrogen seepage in the broader geological setting have encouraged interest, although surface indications alone cannot establish the size or commercial quality of a reservoir.
Mantle8 intends to combine its HOREX 4D passive imaging system with GeoLogix geological modelling to interpret the survey data. The company says integrating seismic measurements with geological and geochemical evidence can help identify hydrogen-generating systems and prioritise locations for further investigation.
Chief executive Emmanuel Masini has described Ras Al Khaimah’s geological setting as favourable for exploration. That assessment remains a geological proposition to be tested through field measurements, rather than evidence that hydrogen can already be produced economically.
The cost of any future production has not been established. Garcia indicated that the economics would depend on factors including the rate at which hydrogen could flow from a reservoir and the purity of the gas. Both require information unavailable before detailed exploration and testing.
Natural hydrogen differs from manufactured hydrogen because it forms through geological processes rather than industrial conversion of natural gas or electrolysis of water. Its potential environmental advantage is that extraction might avoid some energy-intensive manufacturing steps, although the overall emissions footprint would depend on drilling, processing, transport and any associated gases.
The proposed work also fits the UAE’s National Hydrogen Strategy, which seeks to develop low-carbon hydrogen supplies for domestic industries and export markets. However, the Ras Al Khaimah programme remains an early-stage resource assessment and has not established a production timetable, output target or prospective sales agreement.
The emirate’s industrial facilities and access to ports could become relevant if exploration ultimately identifies an economically viable resource. Infrastructure proximity does not remove the need to demonstrate reliable underground production or to settle regulatory and commercial arrangements.
Mantle8 has established a permanent office in Dubai to support its activities in the region. The company is also pursuing geological hydrogen opportunities in Europe, where it holds exploration permits in France and Spain.
Its expansion follows a €31 million Series A financing announced in May, intended to support international exploration and drilling. The financing was led by Sandwater, with investors including Breakthrough Energy Ventures and a fund managed by Bpifrance.
The company has also entered a preliminary collaboration with Element One Hydrogen and Critical Minerals to assess exploration opportunities in western Canada. That arrangement covers potential projects in British Columbia and Alberta but remains subject to definitive commercial agreements. The geographical expansion reflects growing interest in applying geological imaging technologies across different formations, although commercial viability must be established separately at each prospective site through exploration and reservoir testing.
For the Ras Al Khaimah programme, the immediate technical task is to collect and interpret seismic observations before determining whether specific underground structures warrant closer examination. The initial survey is designed to gather data without drilling wells.
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