A Houston-based startup, Eclipse Energy, is pioneering a novel way to repurpose millions of abandoned oil and gas wells by turning them into hydrogen factories using microbial biotechnology. Instead of trying to extract the leftover oil the hard way, Eclipse injects specially selected microbes into dormant reservoirs. These microbes eat remaining hydrocarbons and release hydrogen gas, which flows up the wellbore far more easily than viscous oil.

The company demonstrated this approach last summer at a site in California’s San Joaquin Basin and has since partnered with oilfield services firm Weatherford International to roll out the technology globally beginning in January 2026. Weatherford’s expertise will help operationalise the process in wells around the world.

As the microbes convert oil into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, both gases travel to the surface where they’re separated. Eclipse aims to produce low-carbon hydrogen for about 50 cents per kilogram — comparable with the cost of hydrogen made from natural gas but with a much lower carbon footprint. About half of the CO₂ is expected to remain underground, while the rest can be captured and stored or reused.

If the technology scales successfully, it could transform oilfield liabilities into clean energy assets, deliver affordable hydrogen for industry and energy, and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future by leveraging existing infrastructure and biology in innovative ways.