Prominence Energy Ltd (PRM) has announced that it has received dollar-matched funding from the CSIRO Kick-Start programme to support a collaborative research project aimed at advancing the understanding of natural hydrogen and helium systems across its Gawler Hydrogen Project.
Dr Krista Davies, Chief Operating Officer of PRM, said: “The CSIRO Kick-Start programme provides the Company with access to specialist expertise and assessment to help test and refine exploration workflows relevant to natural hydrogen and helium systems.
“This collaboration will apply innovative techniques to better understand hydrogen and helium occurrence within the Gawler Hydrogen Project, using methods that are directly applicable to early-stage screening across our broader portfolio.
“Importantly, the work is focused on improving technical understanding to help de-risk future exploration decisions, and aligns with our strategy of grounding project development in robust scientific data.”
Through the CSIRO Kick-Start programme, PRM will work with the CSIRO Energy team to undertake targeted sampling and analysis across the Eyre Project (PEL 803). This work is aimed at improving the understanding of the natural hydrogen and helium systems and refining emerging exploration workflows applicable to the Gawler region.
The programme focuses on collecting and analysing data from selected wells to assess hydrogen and helium occurrences, and support the development of practical exploration screening tools.
The project will commence in April 2026 and run for approximately eightmonths. CSIRO will contribute specialist expertise in geochemistry, petrography and multi-physics modelling. Outcomes from the study will assist the Company’s ongoing evaluation of hydrogen and helium prospectivity across the Gawler Craton and future exploration programmes.
The total project cost will be AU$116 252. Prominence Energy will contribute AU$66 252 in funding alongside the AU$50 000 CSIRO Kick-Start funding, reflecting the company’s focus on advancing exploration through targets data-driven programmes.
Gawler Hydrogen Project – South Australian Hydrogen & Helium (PRM 100%)
The Gawler Hydrogen Project consists of two projects across eight petroleum exploration licence applications (PELAs) and 1 PEL covering ~64 000km2 of land. The Eyre Project and Northern Hinge Projects offer a diverse exploration portfolio that covers several play types where potential hydrogen and helium source systems have been identified with material resource potential in what is emerging as a world-class exploration hotspot.
PEL 803 (2799 km2)
PEL 803 was awarded in August 2025 and is located within the Eyre Project area. Located on Archean cratonic crust considered prospective for the occurrence of natural hydrogen and helium gases. Hiltaba radiogenic granites and localised uranium deposits are present in several areas throughout the project, thus providing strong geological indicators for hydrogen and helium generation. A significant conductivity anomaly identified by regional magneto telluric data suggests possible mantle plume activity, a potential pathway for primordial hydrogen migration to surface.