HyTerra’s McCoy 1 well intersects hydrogen up to 83% and helium up to 5% in Kansas
HyTerra Ltd (ASX: HYT) has confirmed both hydrogen and helium at its McCoy 1 well, part of its Nemaha Project in Kansas, USA. Drilled to a depth of 5,562 ft (1,695 m) on time and on budget, the well encountered hydrogen concentrations up to 83% and helium up to 5% in mud gas samples. For comparison, HyTerra’s Sue Duroche 3 well drilled earlier this year recorded hydrogen up to 96% and helium up to 5%.
Importantly, McCoy 1 was not drilled as a twin well but as a 9 km step-out from Sue Duroche 3, testing the broader extent of the hydrogen-helium system within the same fault block. The company now holds 3,116 contiguous net acres surrounding the McCoy 1 location, strategically situated adjacent to Interstate 70, a major cross-country transport route.
Kansas is already the leading helium producer in the United States, with historic commercial production in the Hugoton natural gas field averaging helium concentrations of 0.25–2.5%. HyTerra’s results showing up to 5% helium are therefore considered highly significant.
A workover rig has converted McCoy 1 into an appraisal well, with clean-up operations successfully completed. Further results will be reported in the coming weeks as data analysis progresses. These findings will contribute to HyTerra’s planned production testing program, which will appraise steady-state gas flow rates and compositions across the Nemaha Project.
The Nemaha exploration campaign, which has now delivered three wells since April 2025, was fully funded through HyTerra’s partnership with Fortescue Future Industries Technologies Pty Ltd.
Full press release is below:
McCoy 1 finds both Geologic Hydrogen and Helium
Highlights
McCoy 1 was drilled to a total depth of 5,562ft mDKB (1,695m) on time, on budget, with no HSE incidents.
The objective of McCoy 1 was to test the broader potential of the hydrogen and helium system away from historic wells (i.e. not twinning wells). Hence, this well drilled into the same fault block as Sue Duroche 3 but almost 6 miles (approx. 9 kms) away to the southeast.
McCoy 1 mud gas samples have verified concentrations of hydrogen up to 83% and helium up to 5% compared to Sue Duroche 3 (drilled in April 2025) with reported concentrations of hydrogen up to 96% and helium up to 5%.
The Company has 3,116 contiguous net acres around the McCoy 1 well site right next to the Interstate Highway (I70) which is a major arterial route crossing the USA stretching for ~3500km in a West-East direction across 10 states.
Continued, elevated helium concentrations recorded throughout the HyTerra exploration drilling campaign are significant as Kansas is the leading producer of helium in the US with decades of continued production from the Hugoton natural gas field with concentration ranges of 0.25 to 2.5% helium.
A workover rig has already completed operations to convert McCoy 1 to an appraisal well. The clean-up of the well bore by removing drilling fluid was successful. Further updates will the provided once all the McCoy 1 results become available in coming weeks.
HyTerra Ltd (ASX:HYT) has now drilled three wells back-to-back between April and July 2025 at the Nemaha Project in Kansas, USA. All three wells are drilled on time, on budget, and with no HSE incidents. This exploration program funding is sourced from an investment in the Company by Fortescue Future Industries Technologies Pty Ltd.
Benjamin Mee, Executive Director says “Continuing to see elevated hydrogen and helium gas shows is very encouraging, especially as McCoy 1 was a 9 km step out from Sue Duroche 3 within the same geological play. HyTerra is excited to now see if McCoy 1 is also naturally fractured and capable of inflow like Blythe 13-20 and Sue Duroche 3. This will be able to be determined once all the data is analysed. These results will feed into the design and planning of a production test program required to fully appraise steady state gas flow rates and compositions. I’m glad we acquired quality static and dynamic data across three wells as this is getting exciting.”
