Constellation Resources confirms hydrogen and helium presence at Edmund-Collier, revealing strong exploration potential in Western Australia’s underexplored Gascoyne basin.
Constellation Resources has verified the existence of natural hydrogen and helium within its expansive Edmund-Collier Project, located in Western Australia’s Gascoyne province. This confirmation marks a pivotal step in positioning the company as a frontrunner in Australia’s emerging natural hydrogen exploration sector.
The finding stems from preliminary testing conducted by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) on historical diamond drill core samples retrieved from the region. These samples, originally collected by earlier mineral exploration programs targeting base metal deposits, have now provided compelling evidence for the generation and migration of hydrogen, helium, and light hydrocarbons—specifically methane and ethane. The gases were identified from both crushed rock and fluid inclusions, revealing the geological processes that have shaped the basin’s subsurface gas systems over time.
A particularly significant outcome from the study was the detection of helium within a sandstone sample near the Talga Fault—one of two key basement-tapping faults that define the shallow northern and southern limits of the Wanna Syncline. According to geological interpretations, the syncline likely contains preserved source rocks and trapping structures capable of retaining hydrogen and associated gases beneath impermeable sealing layers. This suggests that the Edmund-Collier Project could host subsurface gas reservoirs within shales or overlying formations, making it an ideal target for further exploration activities, including seismic surveys and focused drilling programs near these structural traps.
To capitalize on these promising results, Constellation has outlined a strategic, low-cost yet high-impact exploration program aimed at verifying the project’s overall potential. Covering an impressive 87,602 square kilometres, Edmund-Collier spans three distinct sedimentary basins. The project is advantageously located near existing gas transmission pipelines operated by major resource companies to the north, east, and west—creating opportunities for potential infrastructure synergies should commercial discoveries be made.
Constellation describes Edmund-Collier as a “first-of-its-kind opportunity” to investigate natural hydrogen and helium systems across a largely unexplored basin. Unlike conventional hydrocarbon exploration, this region has seen minimal deep drilling, leaving significant geological potential untapped. The company’s working hypothesis is that hydrogen, helium, methane, carbon dioxide, and ethane may coexist within the same geological framework—indicating a shared origin linked to the thermal maturation of organic-rich shales within the Blue Billy and Discovery formations.
These formations exhibit extensive areal footprints, and the CSIRO’s analytical results reinforce their potential as sources for both hydrogen and helium. Additionally, the helium detected may have originated from either the decay of radiogenic minerals or from deeper primordial sources, suggesting a broader range of exploration targets. Together, these insights position the Edmund-Collier Project as one of Australia’s most compelling frontiers for clean energy and industrial gas discovery.
