Natural Hydrogen Breakthrough: HyTerra Reports 83% Concentration in Kansas Drilling
Australian natural hydrogen exploration company HyTerra Ltd has reported hydrogen concentrations of up to 83% at its latest exploratory well, McCoy 1, in the US state of Kansas. The findings, derived from mud gas samples, represent a significant step forward in the company’s mission to unlock commercial-scale natural hydrogen production.
Drilled in early July 2025, McCoy 1 reached a total depth of 1,696 metres, making it HyTerra’s deepest well to date. The project forms part of the company’s Nemaha Project, where three wells have been drilled between April and July this year to test the broader potential of hydrogen and helium away from Kansas’ historic well sites.
Although the 83% hydrogen concentration is slightly lower than the 96.1% H₂ recorded at Sue Duroche-3 earlier this year, the company emphasises that McCoy 1 was a significant step-out well – located 9 km from Sue Duroche-3 – within the same geological play. This expansion of proven hydrogen presence demonstrates the wider potential of the Nemaha Project.
HyTerra now plans to move into the design and planning phase of a hydrogen production test programme, once full results from McCoy 1 are finalised. This testing programme will be a crucial precursor to establishing consistent gas flow rates and compositions, paving the way towards sustainable hydrogen extraction and production.
Benjamin Mee, Executive Director of HyTerra, commented:
“Continuing to see elevated hydrogen and helium gas shows is very encouraging, especially as McCoy 1 was a step-out from Sue Duroche-3 within the same geological structure. These results will directly inform the design and planning of our upcoming production test programme, which is required to fully appraise steady-state gas flows. I’m particularly pleased that across three wells we’ve acquired high-quality static and dynamic data – this is getting exciting.”
The McCoy 1 well represents the company’s final exploratory drilling operation under its current programme, with the next stage focused firmly on assessing production viability. If successful, HyTerra could be among the first companies globally to progress from exploration into commercial-scale natural hydrogen production, positioning Kansas as a potential hub for clean hydrogen supply.
As global demand for low-carbon hydrogen accelerates, HyTerra’s exploration progress highlights the strategic importance of natural hydrogen resources in diversifying future energy supply.
