Highlights of the Program
2 days business program:
Learn from real-world case studies by industry leaders.
SHOWCASING INNOVATION:
Discover the latest technology and techniques from across the industry.
leaders talk:
Hear from top-level experts about how to stay ahead in a fast-changing industry.
MULTIPLE STREAMS:
A business program that is multi-disciplinary, giving you a broad view of the industry.
SMART TECHNOLOGIES:
Explore the latest smart and AI-driven solutions, and see how they can be used in your business.
roundtable discussion:
Join talks with industry peers. Share ideas, make connections, and find new partners.
Program
Day 1 :
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
REGISTRATION AND MORNING REFRESHMENTS
09:30 - 09:40
OPENING ADDRESS
09:40 - 10:05
DRILLING FOR WHITE HYDROGEN: NAVIGATING NEW FRONTIERS


Robert Gales
Halliburton
- Examining subsurface uncertainty through detection modeling and drilling challenges linked to hydrogen diffusivity
- Assessing material and operational risks, including alloy selection, cementing practices, fluid monitoring, and well integrity design
- Evaluating regulatory evolution, infrastructure readiness, and commercial risk while positioning early movers in emerging markets
10:05 - 10:10
Q&A SESSION ON TECHNICAL AND COMMERCIAL RISKS IN WHITE HYDROGEN
10:10 - 10:40
SPEED NETWORKING SESSION
- Exchange business cards and get connected in short one-to-one meetings
- Start the conversation to arrange a more formal meeting later on in the conference
- Share your professional background and discuss your biggest business issues – don't forget your business cards!
10:40 - 11:00
MORNING COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA
11:00 - 11:30
PANEL DISCUSSION ON DRILLING FOR HYDROGEN
11:30 - 11:55
BUILDING A REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR NATURAL HYDROGEN PRODUCTION IN MINNESOTA


Don Elsenheimer
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
- Presenting Minnesota’s efforts to establish regulations for natural hydrogen production
- The role of active exploration in rift systems and iron ranges in shaping regulatory priorities
- Mapping the complexities of developing oversight in a state without prior oil and gas regulation
- Assessing current rulemaking activities and key milestones through May 2026
11:55 - 12:00
Q&A SESSION ON STATE-LEVEL APPROACHES TO NATURAL HYDROGEN OVERSIGHT
12:00 - 12:25
LEGAL UPDATE ON NATURAL HYDROGEN EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION


Cynthia Rodriguez
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
- Recent legislative changes with respect to the exploration and production of natural hydrogen
- Legal updates impacting natural hydrogen projects, with practical context and takeaways
12:25 - 12:30
Q&A SESSION ON LEGAL UPDATES FOR NATURAL HYDROGEN PROJECTS
12:30 - 13:30
NETWORKING LUNCH & VISITING THE DRILLING FOR HYDROGEN EXHIBITION
13:30 - 13:55
COMMERCIALIZING GEOLOGICAL HYDROGEN: PRODUCT GAS FEASIBILITY AND ECONOMIC VIABILITY


Max Kolbe
Chiyoda International Corporation
- Examining key surface facility considerations by evaluating product gas options, offtaker requirements, and market alignment
- Processing and treating hydrogen, including local sales, on-site purification, and downstream uses such as pipelines, power, and liquefaction
- Building on LNG experience by outlining how proven surface technologies support a new U.S.–Japan concept study
- Concluding with an overview of Japan’s natural hydrogen status and the role of cross-border collaboration in future project development
13:55 - 14:00
Q&A SESSION ON PROCESSING AND PURIFICATION OF SUBSURFACE HYDROGEN
14:00 - 14:25
COMMERCIALIZING LOW-CARBON HYDROGEN: PRODUCTION WITH ENGINEERED MINERAL HYDROGEN


Colin McCulley
Vema Hydrogen
- Providing an overview of engineered mineral hydrogen as a scalable low-carbon hydrogen production pathway
- Addressing adoption challenges by discussing cost, energy intensity, and infrastructure needs across hydrogen markets
- Presenting pilot well results and operational learnings from early commercial deployment in North America
- Connecting engineered mineral hydrogen to grid stability, cost reduction, and long-term clean energy supply
14:25 - 14:30
Q&A SESSION ON COST AND SCALABILITY OF EMERGING HYDROGEN PATHWAYS
14:30 - 14:55
HYDROGEN-READY DIGITAL DRILLING TWIN: USING MATLAB FOR WELL DESIGN AND INTEGRITY


Darlington Etaje
PhiDrillSim
- Quantifying hydrogen prospect uncertainty across occurrence, pressure, and migration to guide well-planning decisions
- Propagating uncertainty through casing design, mud windows, and cement selection using Monte Carlo simulation
- Understanding hydrogen-specific leakage risks, including microannular flow, cement sensitivity, and steel effects
- Refining designs in near real time while drilling, producing ranked integrity risks and operational envelopes
14:55 - 15:00
Q&A SESSION ON RISK-WEIGHTED WELL DESIGN FOR GEOLOGIC H₂
15:00 - 15:30
AFTERNOON COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA
15:30 - 15:55
NEW LIFE AT THE END OF LIFE: TRANSITIONING OIL PRODUCTION TO CLEAN HYDROGEN


Paul Sandhu
ProtonH2
- Repurposing mature oil production sites for hydrogen and power generation at scale
- Enabling near-term commercial deployment through existing infrastructure, regulatory pathways, and available incentives
- Driving value creation from asset reuse, including extended production life cycles and improved financing outcomes
- Evaluating carbon intensity performance, including results below SMR and pathways toward net-negative emissions with subsurface capture
15:55 - 16:00
Q&A SESSION ON ECONOMIC AND CARBON OUTCOMES OF HYDROGEN PROJECTS
16:00 - 16:25
DRILLING FOR NATURAL HYDROGEN IN OPHIOLITIC SYSTEMS FROM THEORY TO REALITY


Arnaud Lager
Decahydron
- Geological context on ophiolitic lithosphere as a setting for natural hydrogen generation and accumulation
- Insights from drilling ultramafic systems, including permeability behavior, fluid pathways, gas composition and uncertainty
- Practical adaptation of established oil and gas drilling workflows for natural hydrogen exploration and appraisal
16:25 - 16:30
Q&A SESSION ON DRILLING AND APPRAISAL OF NATURAL HYDROGEN SYSTEMS
16:30 - 16:55
GLOBAL DRILLING FOR NATURAL HYDROGEN: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW


Allegra Hosford Scheirer
Geomodeling Solutions LLC
- Compiling approximately 20 exploratory natural hydrogen wells drilled worldwide to date
- Characterizing hydrogen concentrations from trace levels to above 95% across prospects
- Summarizing associated gases, including helium, while linking compositions to geologic contexts
- Profiling drilling outcomes and early success indicators while informing future exploration
16:55 - 17:00
Q&A SESSION ON GLOBAL NATURAL HYDROGEN DRILLING RESULTS
17:00 - 18:00
NETWORKING DRINKS RECEPTION
Day 2 :
THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2026
09:00 - 09:30
MORNING REFRESHMENTS
09:30 - 09:40
OPENING ADDRESS
09:40 - 10:05
THE U.S. POLITICAL LANDSCAPE FOR HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGY


Roxana Bekemohammadi
United States Hydrogen Alliance
- Current federal and state hydrogen policies and recent regulatory developments
- Emerging model policies and frameworks supporting hydrogen projects and markets
- Political and policy strategies for building a durable U.S. hydrogen economy
10:05 - 10:10
Q&A SESSION ON BUILDING DURABLE U.S. HYDROGEN POLICY SUPPORT
10:10 - 10:35
PRODUCING THE HYDROGEN ECONOMY USING NOVEL AND ADVANCED DRILLING TECHNIQUES


John Vozniak
E3 Oil and Gas LLC
- Emerging drilling technologies and how they enable efficient hydrogen access
- Evolving trading nomenclature for hydrogen and clarifying implications for markets and stakeholders
- Current hydrogen extraction schemes and evaluating their technical and commercial readiness
- Advanced drilling methods and how they improve scalability, safety, and long-term hydrogen supply
10:35 - 10:40
Q&A SESSION ON FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES IN HYDROGEN DRILLING AND TRADE
10:40 - 11:00
MORNING COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA
11:00 - 11:25
HYDROGEN AND HELIUM SYSTEMS: CHARACTERISTICS AND CAVEATS FOR SUBSURFACE HYDROGEN


Steven Tedesco
Running Foxes Energy Inc.
- Reviewing existing drilling data and its implications for understanding hydrogen and helium subsurface systems
- Identifying key technical concerns, including flow rates, free hydrogen availability, and production consistency
- Exploring potential solutions, such as catalytic methods aimed at enhancing hydrogen release and extraction
11:25 - 11:30
Q&A SESSION ON TECHNICAL RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN SUBSURFACE HYDROGEN
11:30 - 11:55
COMPREHENSIVE 4E EVALUATION OF AN INTEGRATED LIQUEFACTION SYSTEM FOR NATURAL HYDROGEN


Jihyun Hwang
Korea Institute of Energy Technology
- Describing an integrated process for separating and liquefying natural hydrogen and natural gas from well gas streams
- Evaluating heat transfer curves using methods applied to validate the design and performance of critical liquefaction equipment
- Applying energy and exergy analysis techniques to confirm thermodynamic efficiency across the overall system
- Assessing economic factors by examining cost drivers, scalability, and commercial readiness
11:55 - 12:00
Q&A SESSION ON TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC INSIGHTS FOR NATURAL HYDROGEN
12:00 - 12:25
ENGINEERING INTELLIGENCE AGENTS FOR HYDROGEN WELL DESIGN


Robello Samuel
iDrillWell
- Translating hydrogen occurrence, pressure, and migration uncertainty into robust well design decisions
- Propagating uncertainty through well engineering workflows to strengthening drilling and storage plans
- Refining well designs in real time during operations while defining safe operating envelopes
12:25 - 12:30
Q&A SESSION ON SAFE OPERATING ENVELOPES FOR H2 WELLS
12:30 - 12:45
FEEDBACK AND RAFFLE DRAW
12:45 - 14:00
NETWORKING LUNCH
Become a Speaker & Join the Conversation
SUBSCRIBE FOR UPDATES
By submitting, you agree to receive email communications from the event organizers, including upcoming promotions and discounted tickets, news, and access to related events.