EPA Underground Injection Control Regulations
Baseline federal framework for underground storage wells—currently Class II/V for hydrogen, with Class VI analogues under discussion.
Access resourceHydrogen & Helium Resource Hub
Dual-purpose database covering geologic hydrogen exploration, underground hydrogen storage, helium leasing rules, and the academic playbooks needed to deploy GeoHydrogen and GeoHelium scenarios responsibly.
Use these references to align geology, permitting, finance, and monitoring across hydrogen and helium projects.
Geologic Hydrogen | Regulatory Context
Baseline federal framework for underground storage wells—currently Class II/V for hydrogen, with Class VI analogues under discussion.
Access resourceFirst hydrogen-specific guidance detailing USDW risks, well classification questions, and monitoring expectations.
Access resourceAnnouncement highlighting NETL's state-of-knowledge report and the R&D needed for large-scale underground hydrogen storage (UHS).
Access resourceComprehensive overview of federal and state regulations touching hydrogen production, transport, and subsurface storage.
Access resourcePratap (2025) analysis showing the U.S. lacks explicit statutes for "white" hydrogen ownership; explores analogies to oil, gas, and mineral law.
Access resourceExample state hook: authorizes regulation of underground storage of hydrocarbons and "other" gases—how hydrogen would currently be captured.
Access resourceKDHE program page showing how states monitor and permit underground storage projects—hydrogen would follow similar pathways today.
Access resourceSouth Australia's dedicated natural hydrogen framework, included as a contrast to the U.S. policy vacuum.
Access resourceGeologic Hydrogen | Technical References
Overview of natural hydrogen generation processes, exploration strategies, and plans for national assessments.
Access resourceProspectivity map for geologic hydrogen across the lower 48, with data downloads for GeoHydrogen workflows.
Access resourceMass-balance analysis estimating global geologic hydrogen endowment—key context for land rush narratives.
Access resourceDeep dive into depleted reservoirs, saline aquifers, and salt caverns for hydrogen storage with prioritized R&D gaps.
Access resourceSummary of Sandia's research on natural hydrogen generation, trapping, and monitoring challenges.
Access resourceGlobal assessment of occurrences, exploration methods, environmental risks, and policy considerations.
Access resourceThink-tank review of resource potential, decarbonization pathways, and regulatory gaps for U.S. deployment.
Access resourceSun et al. (2025) review covering well integrity risks such as embrittlement, cement degradation, and microbial corrosion.
Access resourceGeologic Hydrogen | Academic Reviews
Comprehensive review of geologic hydrogen generation, trapping, exploration methods, and production/transport considerations.
Access resourcePerspective on whether natural hydrogen can scale—covers known accumulations and exploration uncertainties.
Access resourcePractical guide to identifying hydrogen hotspots and designing soil-gas seep surveys.
Access resourceScienceDirect review of underground hydrogen storage covering reservoir selection, operations, and monitoring.
Access resourceExamines depleted reservoirs, aquifers, and salt caverns with attention to H₂ purity, cushion gas, and cycling.
Access resourceCritical review (RSC) focused on fluid-fluid and rock-fluid interactions controlling storage performance.
Access resourceHelium | Regulatory Context
Helium is reserved to the United States on federal leases; this statute is the root of federal ownership claims.
Access resourceCurrent consolidated text showing the federal helium reservation language as amended through 2025.
Access resourceDetails entry rules for lands within helium reserves and how leasing interacts with federal helium policy.
Access resourceDepartment of the Interior proposal outlining a dedicated federal helium leasing program layered over MLA oil/gas leases.
Access resourceBill text highlighting proposed mechanisms for leasing helium on federal lands.
Access resourceOperational guidance on royalty calculations, ownership fractions, and federal helium sales.
Access resourceConfirms helium is subject to Kansas severance tax and must be handled via state revenue rules.
Access resourceStatutory definition of severing minerals (79-4216) and the 8% tax on gross value (79-4217) applied to helium-bearing gas.
Access resourceKansas Supreme Court decision clarifying severance tax cost sharing for helium and other gas components.
Access resourceHelium | Technical References
Estimates recoverable helium volumes in known U.S. gas reservoirs—baseline for prospecting and policy.
Access resourceHigh-level overview of basin-by-basin helium potential within existing gas fields.
Access resourceDownloadable data supporting the national assessment; ideal for custom mapping and statistics.
Access resourceCommodity page linking to Mineral Commodity Summaries and global production/reserve updates.
Access resourceOne-page briefing on U.S. and world helium production, reserves, trade flows, and price trends.
Access resourceHelium | Academic Reviews
Global survey of helium reservoirs, production methods, and market dynamics.
Access resourceIntroduces a play-based exploration workflow tailored for helium rather than incidental gas by-product.
Access resourceCase study linking crustal radiogenic sources, structure, and trapping for economic helium accumulations.
Access resourceExplains how ³He/⁴He and other noble gas ratios guide source attribution and migration analysis.
Access resourceWhy This Matters
Geologic hydrogen is racing ahead scientifically (USGS prospectivity maps, NETL storage studies) but U.S. law still treats it as an undefined cousin of oil and gas, so any development plan must navigate UIC rules plus mineral ownership ambiguity.
Underground hydrogen storage (UHS) is effectively regulated today under generic underground storage statutes—hydrogen developers should expect Class II/V permitting, MRV (Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification) plans, and evolving EPA guidance until Congress creates a dedicated class.
Helium has the opposite problem: federal ownership is explicit under the Mineral Leasing Act, states tax it like natural gas, and the supply crunch is pushing operators toward dedicated helium plays rather than incidental recovery.
Both gases rely on USGS assessments, NETL/NREL/Sandia research, and academic reviews to define prospectivity, reservoir behavior, and monitoring strategies before a single well is drilled.
Send new regulations, datasets, or field data to info@envitrace.com so we can keep the hydrogen and helium hub ready for GeoHydrogen, GeoHelium, and GeoML users.