France’s Mantle8 wins exclusive rights to hunt for natural hydrogen in Ras Al Khaimah
By Anoop Menon
Mantle8, a French natural hydrogen explorer, has secured exclusive rights to negotiate an exploration contract for Block 7 in Ras Al Khaimah, launching what is the emirate’s first geophysical survey dedicated to the resource.
Fieldwork is already underway under an agreement with the Ras Al Khaimah Department of Energy. The company will install more than 1,000 passive seismic sensors over a programme expected to run up to 24 months.
Mantle8 is funding the work itself and has opened a permanent office in Dubai.
The initial phase is non-invasive and requires no drilling. The survey will help Ras Al Khaimah assess whether its geology can support domestic hydrogen production and contribute to regional energy diversification.
Exclusivity, then deal
The right to negotiate gives Mantle8 exclusivity over the block for a defined period, Regional Director for the Middle East Jean-Valery Garcia said in an interview. If the data confirms the potential, Mantle8 and the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEA) will negotiate a full exploration agreement.
“Any drilling commitment from Mantle8 would fall under that full exploration agreement,” Garcia said. “During the exclusivity period, we will deploy our technology stack to confirm the potential and define potential drilling targets."
The deal provides a framework for moving from data acquisition to a potential commercial agreement covering exploratory drilling and development, subject to the findings and further agreement between the parties.
Geology bet
The emirate sits at the northern end of the Semail Ophiolite, one of the world's largest and most exposed sections of oceanic crust. Its ultrabasic rocks, active fault systems and observed hydrogen seeps are geological indicators that warrant further investigation.
"Ras Al Khaimah offers an exceptional geological setting for natural hydrogen exploration," Founder and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Masini said. He added that the company's geological work points to additional mantle formations at depth that could further enhance the region's potential.
Mantle8 will deploy its proprietary HOREX 4D passive seismic imaging, GeoLogix and APoGeH technologies, alongside field sampling of gas, water and rock and analysis of existing subsurface data. "With fieldwork underway and a dedicated team on the ground, our immediate priority is to build a robust multiphysics model that can guide the next stage of exploration," Garcia said.
Costs unknown, clear ambitions
Garcia didn’t offer a cost per kilogramme compared with green or blue hydrogen, saying it is too early for Ras Al Khaimah.
“Costs will depend on factors such as flow rate, purity, depth and distance to end users, which is precisely what the exploration programme will help us establish,” he said.
He argued the structural case is strong. Natural hydrogen requires no electricity for electrolysis, no water, no gas feedstock and no carbon capture, he said, and relies on the same technologies as the oil and gas industry, so drilling costs are well understood in the region. That gives it the potential to become the lowest-cost and lowest-carbon form of hydrogen, he said.
Garcia said commercialisation will require clear title to the resource, which would come through the full exploration agreement, and nearby infrastructure including purification, storage and, above all, end users.
“"Natural hydrogen can supply industries that already consume hydrogen, such as refining, ammonia and chemicals, replacing hydrogen currently produced from natural gas,” he noted. “It also complements the UAE's National Hydrogen Strategy and its ambition to become a leading low-carbon hydrogen producer, both for domestic industry and export.”
Ras Al Khaimah's industrial base and ports make it a strong fit, he added.
Garcia deferred to RAKEA on how natural hydrogen is classified in the UAE, saying only that the emirate "moved early and gave us a clear basis to explore."
He also said the company currently has nothing to announce on other blocks or countries in the Middle East, though it follows regional opportunities closely.
Mantle8 did not disclose the cost of the Ras Al Khaimah survey, ot the size of the block.
Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Grenoble, France, Mantle8 completed a €31 million Series A round in 2026 to accelerate deployment of its technology. Its portfolio spans Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Backers include Sandwater, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Bpifrance Green Ventures, IP Group, Wind Capital and Calderion.
(Reporting by Anoop Menon; Editing by SA Kader)
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