Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Oklahoma State University received a $954,636 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Office of Integrative Activities under the Geosciences program (CFDA 47.050) on August 1, 2026, for research on biogenic hydrogen production in depleted oil reservoirs. The research will characterize and quantify hydrogen production by microbial communities under geological carbon storage conditions using actual reservoir rock, petroleum-produced water, and oil samples from the Anadarko Basin in Oklahoma. The project will conduct laboratory experiments at conditions representative of geological carbon storage to evaluate how protein-rich matter stimulates hydrogen-producing microbes while inhibiting hydrogen-consuming species, and will enhance computational modeling capabilities to predict in-situ hydrogen generation potential on a case-by-case basis. The award period extends through July 31, 2029.

This research addresses an emerging energy opportunity by leveraging existing oil and gas infrastructure to produce hydrogen as a clean energy source from waste materials, while simultaneously contributing to workforce development in chemistry, microbiology, and engineering. The project's dual focus on technological innovation and human capital development aligns with the Geosciences program's mission to strengthen the national scientific enterprise through fundamental research in earth sciences while expanding understanding of integrated earth systems.