New drilling campaign starting in Moselle – On the path to low-carbon methane and natural hydrogen production

New drilling campaign starting in Moselle – On the path to low-carbon methane and natural hydrogen production

Pontpierre, France, August 25^th, 2025 – La Française de l’Énergie (Euronext: FDE – ISIN: FR0013030152), a carbon negative energy producer, is launching a new drilling campaign to produce gas from coal in Lorraine, within the Bleue Lorraine concession granted by the French government, and to explore natural hydrogen deposits discovered in 2023.

Use of proven technologies in compliance with strict safety and environmental regulations

At a depth of c.1,000 meters, Lorraine coal contains natural gas with a very high methane content. Two certifications were conducted by IFP-Energies Nouvelles, the French specialist in natural resources exploration and production, in 2015-2016, and then by MHA (Sproule Group), a global specialist in coal gas, in 2018. These expert studies have certified reserves of more than 2.1 billion m ³ of gas in the Bleue Lorraine concession area (191 km²) that can be exploited within the existing technical, economic, environmental, and regulatory constraints.

The drilling campaign will begin in autumn 2025 and will last approximately 12 months in total. The process for producing this methane in Lorraine is simple:

• Drill down to the thick coal seams located at approximately 1,000 meters depth;
• Then desorb the coal, recovering the water naturally contained in its matrix (1-10 m³ per day for one well);
• When the pressure in the coal seam drops sufficiently, the gas will rise naturally to the surface through the casing installed after drilling;
• Small-diameter horizontal drains (15 cm) will then collect the gas present in the coal over several hundred meters.

This method obviously does not use hydraulic fracturing or other techniques prohibited by the laws. Coal also has naturally enough cracks for the desorbed methane to escape naturally. This work, with an initial budget of c.€15 million, covers three specific areas:

1. CBR-1 well – Addition of collection drains to an existing well (1 month) at Lachambre
2. CBR-2 well – Drilling of a new production well (3 months) at Lachambre
3. PTH-2 well – A deep exploration well (4,000 m) to study natural hydrogen (5 months) at Pontpierre.

More than 40 personnel of the FDE team and subcontractors will be mobilized during this phase. All wells will be sealed in accordance with the best practices using cement specifically designed for gas structures and to be inspected as such. Groundwater protection and drilling mud will be rigorously monitored and approved by independent experts and government inspectors.

Methane production in Lorraine: local energy with significant environmental benefits

France currently imports most of its natural gas, including shale gas from the US, but also from Russia, Qatar, Algeria, and Norway.

Local production of gas in Lorraine avoids the environmental impact of long-distance transport and reduces the dependence on gas imported from other countries, while having a carbon footprint 10 times lower than that of imported gas (Source: independent study by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research in Heidelberg, 2016). This is also referred as low-carbon methane.

Several valorization opportunities are still being considered:

• Connection to the local gas distribution network (Energis) for very short supply chains and direct supply to local manufacturers;
• Conversion of gas into clean, decarbonated hydrogen through the capture of CO₂ in solid or liquid form; and/or;
• Electricity and heat production through cogeneration or a turbine, combined with CO₂ capture via a Cryo Pur unit.

Further assessment of the natural hydrogen discovery in Lorraine, a worldwide exclusivity

During previous research conducted as part of the Lorraine Regional State Pact and a research program called REGALOR, significant concentrations of natural hydrogen dissolved in deep aquifers have been discovered in Moselle. This “white” hydrogen could be a major breakthrough for clean energy in France and Europe, as it would provide access to a significant source of decarbonated hydrogen close to current and future consumers and relevant infrastructure.

In collaboration with the GéoRessources laboratory of the University of Lorraine and the CNRS amongst others as part of the REGALOR II research program, the PTH-2 research and development well will be drilled during that same drilling campaign and a grant application is currently being processed.

FDE is currently working with regional authorities, industry, and stakeholders and is initiating a community dialogue through the organization of meetings, workshops, and the development of educational materials to explain more specifically the subsurface work related to these activities in Lorraine and therefore promoting transparent communication on all these activities.

Antoine Forcinal, CEO of FDE, confirms:

This new campaign illustrates our commitment to combining innovation, environmental responsibility, and regional development.

“Without using underground fracturing and under strict government supervision, we are implementing exemplary safety and environmental protection measures. With an additional c. €15 million invested locally and the creation of local jobs, we aim to strengthen the region while reducing its energy dependence. With a carbon footprint ten times lower than that of imported gas and the prospect of producing decarbonated hydrogen in the future, we are reaffirming our commitment to energy sovereignty and to building a sustainable future of our region.“

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