Eclipse Energy’s microbes can turn idle oil wells into hydrogen factories

Eclipse Energy, a Houston-based startup, has developed a novel technology that uses microbes to convert residual oil in abandoned or idle oil wells into hydrogen gas. Instead of traditional methods that attempt to extract remaining oil by pumping or injection, Eclipse introduces microbes that consume oil molecules underground, breaking them down into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. This hydrogen, which flows more easily than viscous oil, can then be extracted from the well for use as a low-carbon energy source. The company demonstrated this technology in California’s San Joaquin Basin and is now partnering with Weatherford International to deploy it globally, with initial projects starting in January. The microbes used by Eclipse naturally occur at the oil-water interface in wells, and the process results in about half of the produced carbon dioxide remaining underground, while the other half can be captured for sequestration or utilization. Eclipse aims to produce low-carbon hydrogen at a cost competitive with conventional industrial methods, targeting around 50 cents per kilogram. This approach effectively transforms abandoned wells, often considered environmental