Prominence Energy Commences Field Exploration at Gawler Hydrogen and Helium Project
Prominence Energy Ltd has commenced its first on-ground exploration program at its Gawler Hydrogen and Helium Project in South Australia, marking the transition from regional targeting to field-based evaluation across one of Australia’s most prospective subsurface provinces.
The program consists of a soil-gas survey across Petroleum Exploration Licence (PEL) 803 within the Eyre Project, targeting helium, hydrogen, and methane to identify active subsurface gas systems. The survey represents an initial, low-cost screening phase designed to evaluate large areas efficiently and generate high-resolution geochemical datasets to support exploration targeting.
The Gawler Craton is widely recognized as a favorable geological environment for both helium and natural hydrogen systems. Key characteristics include the presence of radiogenic granites, iron-rich lithologies, and deep crustal fault networks, which are interpreted to support gas generation through radiolysis and water–rock interaction processes, with migration along structural corridors.
The field program integrates manual sampling and autonomous monitoring technologies, enabling both spatial mapping and temporal analysis of gas concentrations. Results will be incorporated into structural and geophysical models to prioritize follow-up exploration activities, including seismic surveys and drilling.
The timing of the program aligns with tightening global helium supply conditions and increasing demand from critical industries such as semiconductors, medical imaging, and advanced manufacturing. At the same time, natural hydrogen is being evaluated as a potential low-cost, low-carbon energy resource within emerging exploration frameworks.
The Gawler program represents a key step in advancing Prominence Energy’s ~64,000 km² portfolio, with the objective of systematically identifying and ranking drill-ready targets across a district-scale geological system.
Full press release can be found here.
