IPGP and Terrensis sign partnership agreement for natural hydrogen research
On 4 March 2025, the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP) and Terrensis formalised a strategic partnership aimed at furthering research into natural hydrogen. The agreement was signed at the IPGP in the presence of Marc Chaussidon, Director of the IPGP, and Vincent Bordmann, CEO of Terrensis.
Marc Chaussidon and Vincent Bordmann
Publication date: 05/03/2025
Press, Research
This partnership marks an unprecedented step for the IPGP, which is welcoming a company to its premises for the first time, encouraging closer collaboration between researchers and industrial players. This cooperation is part of the current drive to explore and exploit natural hydrogen, a promising energy resource that has yet to be fully exploited.
A partnership at the heart of scientific innovation
For Vincent Bordmann, this partnership with the IPGP is an exceptional opportunity: ‘The main benefit for us is to be at the heart of French and international scientific research. Being here enables us to collaborate on a daily basis with specialist researchers, such as Isabelle Martinez and Bénédicte Ménez, who are working on key issues relating to natural hydrogen.
The Terrensis CEO also highlights the synergies expected from this partnership, particularly in terms of instrumentation and laboratory gas analysis. The company will be able to take advantage of IPGP’s equipment and expertise to refine its research at its exploration sites. This collaboration will also pave the way for training and knowledge transfer, with Terrensis being incorporated into teaching modules and students being taken on as interns or PhD students.
A strategic challenge for the future of energy
For his part, Marc Chaussidon emphasises the importance of this initiative: ‘This is the first time we’ve signed this type of partnership, and we think it’s fundamental. Natural hydrogen combines our expertise in geophysics and geochemistry, extending our previous work on CO2 storage. Exploring this resource is a crucial issue for the future of the planet.
This partnership comes at a time when research into natural hydrogen is booming, often compared to a new ‘white gold’ in the energy transition. France, backed by its scientific advances in the geosciences and supported by government initiatives, aims to position itself as a leader in this field.
With this agreement, the IPGP and Terrensis are laying the foundations for a fruitful collaboration that could lead to major advances in the understanding and sustainable exploitation of natural hydrogen. A decisive step forward for research and for the future of our ability to exploit new sources of carbon-free energy.
