Fault‑Controlled Migration of Geogenic Hydrogen in the Lavanttal Basin (Austria)

As society works to reduce carbon emissions and phase out fossil fuels, new and sustainable energy sources are increasingly sought. Hydrogen is typically viewed as an energy carrier, but naturally occurring geogenic hydrogen has emerged as a potential primary energy source. Its appeal, namely zero carbon footprint and continuous generation through subsurface processes, is tempered by major uncertainties. Although the mechanisms that produce natural hydrogen are reasonably well understood, successful exploration cases remain rare and its migration pathways and interactions within the subsurface are poorly constrained.

This project investigates hydrogen migration from a likely ophiolitic source along an active, highly segmented strike‑slip fault system in the Neogene Lavanttal Basin (Austria). We combine short‑term and long‑term soil‑gas measurements with subsurface information from the recently completed Koralm railway tunnel and vintage 2D seismic data. The integrated dataset suggests a possible link between elevated near‑surface hydrogen concentrations and structural features such as subsurface faults and surface lineaments. If confirmed, these results would improve our understanding of hydrogen migration in faulted crust and support more reliable site selection for future natural hydrogen exploration and production.