# US 2025/0146154 A1 · Process to produce hydrogen and oxygen from underground systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0146154 A1 - Document ID: US20250146154A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/834,175 - Filed: 2023-01-27 - Published: 2025-05-08 - Earliest claimed: 2022-01-27 - Assignees: Deeph2 Inc. - Applicants: Deeph2 Inc. - Inventors: Ian Gates; Hugh Macrae; Jingyi Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250146154A1 ## CPC - C25B 15/083: {Separating products} - C25B 1/04: by electrolysis of water - C25B 9/00: Cells or assemblies of cells; Constructional parts of cells; Assemblies of constructional parts, e.g. electrode-diaphragm assemblies; Process-related cell features - C25B 9/19: with diaphragms - C25B 9/65: Means for supplying current; Electrode connections; Electric inter-cell connections - C25B 9/70: Assemblies comprising two or more cells - C25B 11/065: Carbon - C25B 11/067: Inorganic compound e.g. ITO, silica or titania - C25B 15/08: Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes - E21B 43/38: in the well - F01D 15/10: Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators - F24T 50/00: Geothermal systems (for producing mechanical power from geothermal energy F03G4/00) - H01M 8/0656: by electrochemical means (H01M8/065 takes precedence) - C25B 9/05: Pressure cells - C25B 11/081: the element being a noble metal - F24T 10/00: Geothermal collectors - Y02E 60/36: Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis - C25B: ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR (anodic or cathodic protection C23F13/00; single-crystal growth C30B) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F24T: GEOTHERMAL COLLECTORS; GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A system and method for producing hydrogen wherein the system comprises at least one electrolyzer adapted to be located within a subterranean formation, at least one electrical supply cable having a length selected to extend from the at least one electrolyzer to a ground surface power supply, at least one supply tubing string having a length selected to extend from the at least one electrolyzer to a water supply at the ground surface and at least one collection tubing string having a length selected to extend from the at least one electrolyzer to a collection location at the ground surface. The method comprises providing a well from a surface to an underground formation, locating at least one electrolyzer in the well, supplying the at least one electrolyzer with supply electricity, supplying the at least one electrolyzer with supply water, producing hydrogen gas at the electrolyzer and collecting and transporting the produced hydrogen gas to the surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for producing hydrogen comprising: at least one electrolyzer adapted to be located within a subterranean formation; at least one electrical supply cable having a length selected to extend from the at least one electrolyzer to a ground surface power supply; at least one supply tubing string having a length selected to extend from the at least one electrolyzer to a water supply at the ground surface; and at least one collection tubing string having a length selected to extend from the at least one electrolyzer to a collection location at the ground surface ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the electrolyzer includes at least one cathode formed of material selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, osmium, iridium, platinum and gold on a substrate formed of a material selected from the group consisting of carbon, titanium dioxide, graphene and alumina. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the electrolyzer includes at least one anode formed of a material selected from the group consisting of iridium oxide and ruthenium oxide blacks and perfluoroalkylsulfonic acid ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the electrolyzer includes at least one proton exchange membrane to enable separated generation points of oxygen and hydrogen in the electrolyzer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the electrolyzer, water, hydrogen and oxygen tubing strings are surrounded by water. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one electrolyzer comprise at least one the electrolytic cell separated into a first compartment with an electrode for reducing water to hydrogen and second compartment separate from the first compartment with an electrode for generating oxygen. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6 wherein a plurality of electrolytic cells are connected together in series or in parallel within the well. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 further comprising a pressure regulator adapted to control the pressure of at least one of produced hydrogen or oxygen within one of the hydrogen tubing string or the oxygen. ### Claim 9 A method for producing hydrogen comprising: providing a well from a surface to an underground formation; locating at least one electrolyzer in the well; supplying the at least one electrolyzer with supply electricity; supplying the at least one electrolyzer with supply water; producing hydrogen gas at the electrolyzer; and collecting and transporting the produced hydrogen gas to the surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the supply electricity is transported to the at least one electrolyzer from the surface through an electrical power supply cable extending therebetween. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the supply water is transported from the surface to the at least one electrolyzer through a supply tubing string extending therebetween. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the supply water is introduced into the supply tubing string at an elevated pressure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the supply water is introduced into the supply tubing string at an elevated temperature. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising transporting the produce hydrogen within at least one collection tubing string extending from the at least one electrolyzer to the surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising controlling the surface production of hydrogen or oxygen or both from their respective tubing strings to maintain a desired pressure of the gases in their respective tubing strings. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising and utilizing the underground well as structural support for produced hydrogen storage before transportation to the surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein a pressure of the generated hydrogen and oxygen gases in their respective tubing strings may be accumulated until a desired pressure is reached up to and not exceeding the maximum underground storage pressure of the tubing strings. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising determining the highest temperature location within the well and locating the at least one electrolyzer at the highest temperature location. ### Claim 19 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising locating the at least one electrolyzer at the deepest section of the well. ### Claim 20 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the well is selected to be a post-steam or post-thermal recovery process oil reservoir. ### Claim 21 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the produced hydrogen is passed through a fuel cell to generate power. ### Claim 22 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the produced water is injected into the well to supply the electrolyzer. ### Claim 23 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the produced hydrogen is combusted to generate at least one of power, heat and steam. ### Claim 24 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the produced water or condensed steam is injected into the well to supply the electrolyzer. ### Claim 25 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the electrical power used by the electrolyzer is supplied from at least one of a solar photovoltaic cell, wind, hydro, nuclear and fuel generator. ### Claim 26 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein at least one of the produced oxygen and hydrogen is passed through a turbine-generator to create at least one of rotational energy and electrical power. ### Claim 27 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the hydrogen is reduced from water in a first compartment with an electrode for reducing water to hydrogen oxygen is reduced from water in a second compartment which is located separate from the first compartment with an electrode connected electrically to the electrode of the first compartment. ### Claim 28 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the water in the electrolyzer is at the hydrostatic pressure at the submersion depth of the electrolyzer. ### Claim 29 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the generated oxygen and hydrogen is at the pressure of the electrolyzer and is delivered into their respective production tubing strings that are connected to the electrolyzer and surface. ### Claim 30 A method for producing hydrogen from a underground system comprising: providing a well from surface to the underground; locating at least one electrolyzer in the well at one or more depths; supplying water to the electrolyzer through a connection; supplying electrical current to the electrolyzer to generate oxygen and hydrogen; separating the generated oxygen and hydrogen to fill at least one hydrogen tubing string and at least one oxygen tubing string to a desired pressure; producing the gases from the tubing strings separately at the desired target pressure on surface; generating energy through at least one of: passing at least one of the high pressure oxygen and hydrogen through a turbine to generate rotational energy; passing at least one of the high pressure oxygen or hydrogen a turbine and electrical generator to generate electrical power; feeding the produced hydrogen to a combustion engine and combusting it for rotational energy; feeding the hydrogen to combustor for heat; and feeding the hydrogen to a fuel cell for the generation of electrical power; providing the produced water from the step of generating energy to feed the electrolyzer; passing the high pressure oxygen at a desired pressure to a storage vessel on the surface for storage or transport; and passing the high pressure hydrogen at a desired pressure to a storage vessel on the surface for storage or transport.