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<p>Natural (geologic) hydrogen (abbreviated as H<sub>2</sub>) is gaining global attention as a zero-carbon energy carrier in the context of the “dual-carbon” goals (carbon peaking and carbon neutrality). However, effective exploration and resource assessment remain challenging. Serpentinization of ultramafic-mafic mantle rocks is the primary H<sub>2</sub>-generation mechanism and is particularly prevalent in ocean-floor settings. We refer to the enriched, potentially exploitable accumulations formed by this process as ocean-floor hydrogen energy. The South China Sea (SCS), a tectonically complex marginal sea characterized by stretched continental lithosphere or thinned continental crust, provides favourable conditions for water-rock reactions (serpentinization) of mantle rocks and for the generation or accumulation of natural H<sub>2</sub> on the seafloor. This paper develops a regional natural H<sub>2</sub> resource assessment framework that integrates multi-sourced geological, geophysical and geochemical data with two-dimensional geodynamic numerical modelling. This approach quantitatively links crustal thickness to the volume of serpentinization, enabling spatial prediction of ocean-floor hydrogen energy across the whole SCS seafloor. Our theoretically-calculated results indicate approximately 4.6×10<sup>14</sup>t H<sub>2</sub> (tonnes), indicating a substantial contribution of natural H<sub>2</sub> on the SCS seafloor, and highlighting the seafloor as a globally important natural H<sub>2</sub> enrichment zone. These findings provide scientific and technical guidance for targeted exploration and development of ocean-floor hydrogen energy in the SCS and other extensive deep-sea oceanic regions.</p>

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Assessment and prediction of ocean-floor hydrogen potential and distribution in the South China Sea

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月24日

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  • Bo Sun,
  • Liangliang Wang,
  • Sanzhong Li,
  • Liming Dai,
  • Xiujuan Wang,
  • Yanhui Suo,
  • Zhaoxia Jiang,
  • Xianzhi Cao,
  • Tianyi Yang,
  • Zihao Hu,
  • Di Wang,
  • Shenda Liu,
  • Lixin Wu

摘要

Natural (geologic) hydrogen (abbreviated as H2) is gaining global attention as a zero-carbon energy carrier in the context of the “dual-carbon” goals (carbon peaking and carbon neutrality). However, effective exploration and resource assessment remain challenging. Serpentinization of ultramafic-mafic mantle rocks is the primary H2-generation mechanism and is particularly prevalent in ocean-floor settings. We refer to the enriched, potentially exploitable accumulations formed by this process as ocean-floor hydrogen energy. The South China Sea (SCS), a tectonically complex marginal sea characterized by stretched continental lithosphere or thinned continental crust, provides favourable conditions for water-rock reactions (serpentinization) of mantle rocks and for the generation or accumulation of natural H2 on the seafloor. This paper develops a regional natural H2 resource assessment framework that integrates multi-sourced geological, geophysical and geochemical data with two-dimensional geodynamic numerical modelling. This approach quantitatively links crustal thickness to the volume of serpentinization, enabling spatial prediction of ocean-floor hydrogen energy across the whole SCS seafloor. Our theoretically-calculated results indicate approximately 4.6×1014t H2 (tonnes), indicating a substantial contribution of natural H2 on the SCS seafloor, and highlighting the seafloor as a globally important natural H2 enrichment zone. These findings provide scientific and technical guidance for targeted exploration and development of ocean-floor hydrogen energy in the SCS and other extensive deep-sea oceanic regions.