Canada's 'Gold Hydrogen' Rush: MAX Power Taps New Clean Energy Source

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan – January 16, 2026 – A historic milestone for Canada's energy sector was announced today as MAX Power Mining Corp. confirmed the country's first-ever drilling discovery of a natural hydrogen system. The successful test at the company's Lawson well, located 140 km south of Saskatoon, has unearthed high concentrations of naturally occurring hydrogen, a clean-burning energy source, potentially heralding the dawn of a new, low-cost clean energy industry on the Canadian prairies.

The discovery transitions the concept of 'gold' or 'white' hydrogen in Canada from geological theory to a verified subsurface reality, positioning Saskatchewan at the vanguard of a global hunt for this emerging resource.

The Lawson Discovery: Unearthing a Subsurface System

MAX Power's announcement confirmed that its first exploratory well drilled specifically for natural hydrogen yielded immediate and significant results. Independent laboratory analyses confirmed hydrogen concentrations reaching as high as 286,000 parts per million (28.6% H₂) in gas samples recovered from the well. Following perforation of an 8-metre-thick fractured zone in the Precambrian basement rock, the well achieved free-flowing gas to the surface with robust initial pressures.

This free flow and strong reservoir pressure, or 'drive,' are critical indicators, suggesting the presence of a large, actively charged geological system rather than an isolated pocket of gas. According to the company, this early success is statistically improbable without a well-developed system, boosting confidence that the Lawson discovery is part of a much larger accumulation.

"This is a defining moment for MAX Power, Saskatchewan and Canada," commented Ran Narayanasamy, President and CEO of MAX Power. "Lawson is no longer a concept – it’s a discovered geological system with gas flow, pressure, and the key ingredients required for future commercial Natural Hydrogen development."

Adding to the discovery's potential, tests also revealed elevated concentrations of helium—up to 8.7%—in a zone above the hydrogen-bearing formation. This points to the possibility of a 'stacked gas system,' where multiple valuable gases can be extracted from a single well, a factor that could significantly enhance the project's future economics.

A New Energy Frontier on the Prairie

The discovery validates MAX Power’s geological model for the 475-kilometre-long 'Genesis Trend,' a vast belt of prospective land stretching from Saskatchewan into Montana and the Dakotas. The company holds permits for 1.3 million acres along this trend, with applications for another 5.7 million acres. Initial success at Lawson effectively de-risks numerous similar geological targets across this immense land package, suggesting the potential for repeatable and scalable discoveries.

Saskatchewan, already a global powerhouse in uranium and potash and Canada's only helium producer, appears poised to add another resource to its portfolio. The province's 'advanced policy framework for Natural Hydrogen' is cited by the company as a key advantage that could accelerate development. This supportive regulatory environment, combined with a skilled workforce and existing infrastructure from the oil and gas sector, creates a fertile ground for a new hydrogen economy.

The Genesis Trend's strategic location adjacent to the Regina–Moose Jaw Industrial Corridor, where strong demand for hydrogen already exists for industrial processes, offers a ready-made local market for future production.

"From a geological perspective, Lawson has delivered exactly what we hoped to see - hydrogen-rich gas, reservoir characteristics, fracture networks, and evidence of a working system," said Steve Halabura, MAX Power's Chief Geoscientist. "The geological processes responsible for hydrogen generation, migration, and trapping appear to be well established at Genesis."

The Global Race for Clean Hydrogen

Natural hydrogen represents a paradigm shift in the energy landscape. Unlike 'green' hydrogen, which is produced by splitting water molecules using vast amounts of electricity, or 'blue' hydrogen, derived from natural gas with carbon capture, 'gold' hydrogen is generated naturally within the Earth's crust. Its extraction process is more akin to conventional natural gas drilling but is expected to have a much smaller environmental footprint, requiring less energy, less water, and no hydraulic fracturing.

As the world seeks to decarbonize heavy industry and transportation, the demand for clean hydrogen is projected to soar. While still an emerging sector with roughly 150 companies exploring globally, natural hydrogen's potential for low-cost, low-carbon production makes it a highly attractive prize. Exploration is underway in other parts of Canada, but MAX Power's announcement marks the first confirmed drilling discovery, giving it a significant first-mover advantage.

From Discovery to Commercialization

With a working system now confirmed, MAX Power is shifting gears from pure exploration to commercial evaluation. The company has laid out a clear path forward for the first half of 2026, which includes a 47-square-kilometre 3D seismic survey over the Lawson discovery. This survey will create a detailed map of the subsurface, allowing the team to delineate the reservoir's size and pinpoint the apex of the structure, where they expect to find even higher purity hydrogen.

Following the seismic survey, a confirmatory well will be drilled to evaluate commercial flow rates and deliverability. In parallel, the company will begin resource modeling to estimate the potential volume of the discovery.

Central to its strategy is MAXX LEMI, the company's proprietary AI-assisted Large Earth Model. Data from the Lawson well will be fed into this platform to refine its predictive capabilities. MAX Power aims to use this AI-driven tool to optimize targeting for future wells in Saskatchewan and eventually monetize the platform as a global standard for natural hydrogen exploration.

To support this next phase of growth and capitalize on the discovery, MAX Power has also secured marketing and communications agreements with four separate firms—Native Ads Inc., PONY Communications, Emerging Markets Consulting, LLC, and an extension with Tafin GmbH—totaling over $445,000 USD and €200,000. This significant investment in investor awareness and public relations underscores the company’s intent to assert its leadership position in the rapidly evolving sector and communicate the value of its discovery to the market.