The French government has granted Mantle8's subsidiary G&OL SAS the exclusive exploration permit "Permis de Comminges." It is valid for five years and covers 739 square kilometres in the departments of Haute-Garonne and Hautes-Pyrénées. The decree was published on April 11, 2026, in the Journal officiel. In parallel, Mantle8 is launching the Hydrogeco project in the Pyrenean foothills.
According to the company, the license only allows for research and data collection, not industrial extraction. Mantle8's corporate goal is to find a total of 10 million tonnes of natural hydrogen by 2030 - however, this is not a project-specific extraction forecast for Comminges.
Mantle8 is allowed to conduct geoscientific and geophysical investigations in the licensed area. The area includes 109 municipalities in seven municipal associations. If the studies confirm hydrogen in sufficient quantities, a further evaluation phase is to follow according to the company. This could include an exploratory drilling. Additional permits would be required for this. Only then would an application for an extraction permit be considered.
Horex creates 4D models of the subsurface
In 2025, Mantle8 claims to have mapped an active underground hydrogen system in 4D for the first time at the Hydrogeco site. The so-called Horex technology is a geoscientific subsurface imaging process in which sensors installed in the field are supposed to receive natural signals from the subsurface. The data is then converted into 3D images and time-dependent 4D models through multi-parameter analysis. Mantle8 aims to more accurately locate suitable reservoirs and active hydrogen sources with this.
According to Mantle8, natural hydrogen is formed by geological processes such as serpentinization. In this process, water reacts with iron-rich rocks in the subsurface. In May 2026, the company reported a Series A financing of 31 million euros. In addition, there is a grant of 2.06 million euros from the EU Just Transition Fund. The capital is intended, among other things, to finance further exploration and later drilling campaigns.
