Natural Hydrogen Found In Morowali, Central Sulawesi, Geological Agency For Energy And Mineral Resources Analysis At Laboratory

The Geological Agency team of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources took a sample of natural hydrogen gas in One Pute Jaya Village, Morowali, Central Sulawesi, Monday, October 23. (ANTARA PHOTO-Mohamad Hamzah)

The Geological Agency, Ministry of Energy, and Mineral Resources (ESDM) discovered natural hydrogen at the location of the One Pute Jaya heat bath, Morowali Regency, Central Sulawesi Regency (Central Sulawesi). "From the results of our temporary research, there are indications of natural hydrogen in Central Sulawesi, precisely in Morowali Regency," said Geological Agency Geologist Indra Sanjaya, contacted from Palu, Monday. He said that based on the results of a temporary study conducted in Morowali Regency since October 2023, his party identified the presence of natural hydrogen potential, precisely in a hot water bath, One Pute Jaya area. According to him, the research being carried out is currently still in the early research stage, and further research has been carried out. "The sample of hydrogen gas has been carried out for further research." The sample that we have taken will be carried out further analysis in the laboratory to find out its original content, but what we are currently carrying is indeed detectable to be natural hydrogen gas, but for the amount of its levels further research is needed," he said. He explained that hydrogen fuel has the potential to provide clean energy sources without producing environmentally damaging greenhouse gas emissions. Hydrogen can naturally result from a geological process called "certinization." This process occurs due to ultramactic rock reactions with water at low temperatures and pressures to produce serpentin minerals and hydrogen gas. Central Sulawesi has the most extensive ultramaffic rock propagation in Indonesia, thus becoming the place to start the search for this green energy source. "We find natural hydrogen gas potential in hot water baths in the One Pute area. The gas bubbles that appear in these water springs are hydrogen gas that originates from the serpentinization process that occurs below the earth surface," he said. Furthermore, he argued that climate change is one of the major challenges that must be faced by all human beings today such as rising global temperatures, extreme weather, sea surface rise, and changes in ecosystems that are becoming a serious problem that the world is currently facing.

Untuk menghadapinya, kata dia, upaya global terus menerus dilakukan untuk mengurangi emisi gas rumah kaca dan menggantikan bahan bakar fosil dengan sumber energi yang lebih bersih, dan Pemerintah Indonesia dalam hal ini melalui Badan Geologi juga berupaya untuk menemukan potensi sumber energi hijau atau hidrogen alami ini.Ia mengemukakan selain penemuan gas hidrogen di Kabupaten Morowali, Tim Badan Geologi Kementerian ESDM juga telah menemukan adanya potensi gas hidrogen lain di Sulawesi Tengah tepatnya di Tanjung Api, Ampana, Kabupaten Tojo Una-una."Kami juga melakukan penelitian di Sulteng sejak Agustus 2023 lalu, tepatnya di Ampana, itu bahkan sudah keluar hasil analisis dari sampel gas hidrogennya. Selain mengandung gas metana, terdapat juga gas hidrogen dengan kadar 20-30 persen," ujarnya.Ia mengatakan bahwa penemuan hidrogen di Ampana tersebut membuktikan adanya indikasi keberadaan material hidrogen di Indonesia, khususnya di Provinsi Sulawesi Tengah."Namun hal ini juga belum jauh penelitiannya, kami baru akan melanjutkan penelitian untuk lebih jauhnya untuk mengidentifikasi hal lainnya," kata dia.Terakhir, dengan adanya penemuan tersebut, pihaknya terus melanjutkan penelitian untuk melihat potensi pengembangan dan pemanfaatan gas hidrogen sebagai energi bersih dalam mengatasi perubahan iklim.