Projects | Decahydron

Three ophiolites. Two climate solutions.

Ophiolites are slices of the Earth’s mantle pushed up onto land. They make hydrogen on their own, and they can turn CO₂ into stone. We work on three of them: in the northern Emirates, where the rock may hold natural hydrogen, and in central Greece, where it will store industrial CO₂.

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates · with SNOC

Appraising a hydrogen well

In 2010 an exploration well was drilled through the Sharjah ophiolite in search of oil and gas. Gas readings taken while drilling point to hydrogen in the deep, fractured peridotite below a dense rock layer. Nobody went back for it.

Decahydron is appraising that well with Sharjah National Oil Corporation. With Weatherford we are preparing to re-enter the well, measure the gas directly and test whether it flows.

2010

Exploration well drilled into the ophiolite

1,876 m

Depth reached, about 6,000 ft

>95%

Of the mantle rock is serpentinised

2027

Re-entry and testing planned, early in the year

From a field photoThe exploration well site in Sharjah: the drone move is animated from our photo of the cellar.

Rust-brown altered ultramafic outcrop with a hammer for scale — Field photoAltered ultramafic rock near the well.

Engineers at a wellhead in the desert — IllustrationEngineers at the wellhead.

Gas bubbles rising from a rock fracture — Field photoGas bubbling from a fracture in the ophiolite.

Fujairah, United Arab Emirates · with FOIZ

Hydrogen and carbon storage on the Gulf of Oman

Most of the emirate stands on the Semail ophiolite, the largest and best-exposed section of oceanic mantle anywhere on Earth. Its springs and soil gas carry hydrogen, and the rock can mineralise CO₂. Fujairah is also one of the world’s largest bunkering ports, with deep water outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding with FOIZ, the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, Decahydron is studying the emirate’s potential for natural hydrogen and CO₂ storage. The programme runs in three phases: surface work first, then the first exploration wells with a CO₂ injection trial, then development.

Semail

The world’s largest exposed ophiolite

pH > 10

Hyperalkaline springs: serpentinisation at work

4th

Largest bunkering port in the world

3 phases

Surface work, exploration wells, development

Panorama of ophiolite ridges and wadis in the Hajar mountains — Field photoRidge after ridge of ophiolite in the Hajar mountains.

Ophiolite gorge with a milky-turquoise stream and date palms — Field photoA hyperalkaline stream in an ophiolite gorge.

Field photoGas streaming up through a spring pool.

Turquoise pool below a rock wall — Field photoSpring water rich in calcium, laying down carbonate.

Othrys, central Greece · PITHOS

Europe’s first water-free CO₂ mineralisation

PITHOS, Pioneering Injection Technologies for Hydration-free Ophiolite Systems, will be the first field demonstration in Europe of water-free CO₂ mineralisation in ultramafic rock. It sits in the Othrys ultramafic belt of central Greece, outside Natura 2000 areas.

The CO₂ comes from Holcim’s HERACLES cement plant, where it is captured by the OLYMPUS project. Dry supercritical CO₂ will be injected at about 1,500 metres, where it reacts with the rock and becomes carbonate. The project works under the oversight of HEREMA, the Hellenic Hydrocarbons and Energy Resources Management Company.

~200 t

Of CO₂ injected per day

~150 kt

Of CO₂ turned into stone over three years

~1,500 m

Injection depth

0 m³

Of water injected