The Department of Energy (DOE) expects drilling for native hydrogen to begin in Pangasinan by the end of 2026. US-based Koloma Inc. has completed a round of exploration surveys under its two government service contracts covering the area.
Koloma holds Service Contracts 83 and 84 in Pangasinan, where it has been searching for native hydrogen – a naturally occurring resource found underground, distinct from the hydrogen made through industrial processes.
“We are very hopeful that things will proceed as planned and we will be lucky enough to be the first country in the world to produce from contract naturally occurring hydrogen,” Energy Undersecretary Alessandro Sales said at a press briefing.
The company launched a 2D seismic survey last week to map underground structures. That followed earlier geological sampling, and an aero-gravity and magnetics survey completed between March and early June that covered close to 28,000 line kilometers.
“Given the intense interest of Koloma, they are really advanced in the execution of their committed work program. So after the seismic, their next commitment is to drill the well,” Sales said.
Drilling could start before the end of 2026 or slip into the first quarter of 2027. Sales cautioned that it is still uncertain whether exploration will turn up a deposit large enough to support commercial production.
“So it needs to be drilled, and we need to measure how much can be extracted from the ground,” Sales said.
Koloma has committed $8 million to $9 million to its seven-year work program across both contracts – about ₱492.9 million to ₱554.5 million at current exchange rates. It is also preparing to explore western Zambales under a separate service contract.
The DOE has placed native hydrogen exploration under the country’s existing petroleum service contract system. Contractors carry all technical, operational, and financial risk; no government funds are used for exploration, development, or production.
A confirmed commercial deposit would give the Philippines an indigenous source of hydrogen to draw on for its clean energy transition. The DOE has not said when it expects results from the drilling program to be evaluated.
