Characterization of the spontaneously recharging natural hydrogen reservoirs of Bourakebougou in Mali.

In today's race to find ways to produce cheap and green hydrogen, the natural hydrogen wells in Bourakebougou offer a promising solution and are a good example of how H can be produced in the natural environment. Not only has one well been successfully exploited to generate electricity for the local village, but twenty-four other exploratory boreholes have also demonstrated the presence of natural H in the surrounding area. The Bourakebougou H field offers a unique opportunity for geoscientists to determine the key characteristics of natural hydrogen reservoirs.

A Critical Review of State-of-the-Art and Emerging Approaches to Identify Fracking-Derived Gases and Associated Contaminants in Aquifers.

High-volume, hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) is widely applied for natural gas and oil production from shales, coals, or tight sandstone formations in the United States, Canada, and Australia, and is being widely considered by other countries with similar unconventional energy resources. Secure retention of fluids (natural gas, saline formation waters, oil, HVHF fluids) during and after well stimulation is important to prevent unintended environmental contamination, and release of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Here, we critically review state-of-the-art techniques and promising new approaches for identifying oil and gas production from unconventional reservoirs to resolve whether they are the source of fugitive methane and associated contaminants into shallow aquifers.

Direct analysis of trace elements in crude oils by high-repetition-rate femtosecond laser ablation coupled to ICPMS detection.

IR-femtosecond pulses were used at high repetition rates (up to 10 kHz) to ablate viscous crude oils for the determination of trace elements by ICPMS. A special internal glass cap was fitted into the ablation cell to minimise oil splashes and remove big particles that would be otherwise spread into the cell. Laser ablation in static and dynamic conditions (i.