Comprehensive 4E evaluation of an integrated LNG and LH2 system from natural hydrogen well reservoirs

The lack of a cost-competitive, low-carbon hydrogen supply pathway remains one of the most critical barriers to the global hydrogen economy. Natural hydrogen, a primary energy source occurring in geological formations, presents a compelling solution, yet engineering frameworks for its large-scale processing and utilization remain insufficiently developed. This study proposes an integrated process for simultaneous LNG and LH 2 co-production from a natural hydrogen well stream at 300 TPD, comparing LN 2 -based (Case 1) and SMR-based (Case 2) precooling configurations. Case 2 achieves 36.9% lower SEC and 54.1% less exergy destruction than Case 1, with 45–55% improvement over commercial plants. Techno-economic analysis yields an NPV of 404 million USD, IRR of 13%, and a production cost as low as 0.22 USD/kg at 3 MTPA scale. These results demonstrate that natural hydrogen can serve as a technically viable and economically transformative primary energy resource, potentially accelerating the transition toward a sustainable hydrogen economy.