The Dawn of a New Energy Era: Hydrogen’s Path from Baku to Spindletop

A modest oil well, drilled by the engineer F.N. Semyenov, begins producing a mere 2,000 barrels annually. This small production  marked the birth of the global oil industry, an industry that would eventually power the world. At this  moment, oil was a local curiosity, with no global infrastructure, no pipelines, and no refineries. But this  tiny beginning would set off a chain of events that transformed the world.

Now, fast forward to 2024, and the world stands at a similar crossroads with hydrogen. In Mali, the world’s first and only commercial natural hydrogen production site operates, echoing Baku’s early days. Like Baku in 1846, this site is small, almost obscure, but it holds the potential to spark a global revolution  in energy, just as Baku did for oil.

The Oil Revolution: Key Milestones

1846 - Baku’s First Well: The first commercial oil well in Baku begins production. It’s a small step, but it establishes the potential for oil as a new energy source.

1859 - Drake’s Well, Pennsylvania: Edwin Drake drills the first successful oil well in the United States, producing just 15 barrels a day. This marks the start of the American oil industry and begins to shift global attention to oil as a viable energy source.

1860 - U.S. Oil Production Reaches 500 Barrels Annually: The fledgling industry in the U.S. is still tiny, with minimal infrastructure and production. This is a period of experimentation and uncertainty, much  like the hydrogen industry today.

1901 - Spindletop Gusher, Texas: The Spindletop well in Beaumont, Texas, erupts, producing 100,000  barrels of oil per day. This event triggers a massive oil rush and leads to the rapid development of  infrastructure—pipelines, refineries, and global distribution networks. Within a few years, the world’s  energy landscape is transformed, and the age of oil truly begins.

1920s - Global Expansion: By the 1920s, the oil industry has become a global behemoth, with oil fields in the Middle East, Russia, and the Americas. The infrastructure is now extensive, with refineries, pipelines, and tankers moving oil across the world.

1940s-1950s - Post-War Boom: After World War II, the oil industry experiences unprecedented  growth. The development of petrochemical industries and the rise of automobiles further solidify oil’s  dominance as the world’s primary energy source.

Hydrogen’s Future: A Rapid Transformation

Now, let’s project this timeline onto hydrogen, but with a faster pace driven by modern technology and urgency:

2024 - Mali’s Hydrogen Well: Just as Baku’s first well was a small start, Mali’s natural hydrogen site is the beginning. Hydrogen production is tiny, with limited recognition, but the potential is enormous.

2026 - The First Hydrogen Gusher: Within just two years, exploration companies strike a major  hydrogen reserve—perhaps in a location like North America or Africa. This “hydrogen gusher” could  produce enough to make headlines worldwide and attract significant investment. This event parallels 

Spindletop’s role in oil, sparking a rush to develop hydrogen resources.

2028 - Rapid Infrastructure Development: Following the hydrogen gusher, investment pours in. New  pipelines, storage facilities, and hydrogen refineries start cropping up around the globe. The speed of  this build-out is unprecedented, thanks to advances in technology and the lessons learned from the oil industry.

2030s - Global Hydrogen Economy: By the early 2030s, hydrogen has become a significant player in the global energy mix. Hydrogen fuel cells power vehicles, industries use hydrogen for clean energy, and homes are heated with hydrogen gas. Infrastructure is now extensive, with global networks for 

hydrogen distribution akin to today’s oil and gas pipelines.

2040 - Hydrogen’s Dominance: Just as oil dominated the 20th century, hydrogen could dominate the 21st. 

By 2040, hydrogen infrastructure is fully developed, and hydrogen is a primary global energy 

source, leading the charge in reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change.

Conclusion: A Hydrogen-Powered Future

What took oil nearly a century to accomplish could take hydrogen just a few decades. From a modest start in Baku in 1846 to the oil gusher at Spindletop in 1901, the oil industry laid the groundwork for a  global energy revolution. Today, the hydrogen industry stands at a similar precipice. With Mali as the starting point, the first major hydrogen gusher could be just around the corner, setting off a rapid transformation that could see hydrogen power the world within our lifetimes.

The speed and scale of hydrogen’s adoption could eclipse that of oil, driven by modern technology, global investment, and the urgent need for clean energy. As we stand at the dawn of a new energy era, the parallels to the early oil industry are striking—and the potential for hydrogen to revolutionize the world is both thrilling and profound.