- Max Power (CSE:MAXX) confirmed Canada’s first subsurface Natural Hydrogen discovery at its Lawson well in Saskatchewan, with hydrogen concentrations reaching up to 28.6 per cent
- The find supports a broader exploration model across the 475‑km Genesis Trend, where the company plans further drilling and a 47‑sq‑km 3D seismic survey in early 2026
- Independent lab results and initial flow tests indicate a potentially significant reservoir, marking a major step forward for Natural Hydrogen exploration in Canada
- Max Power Mining stock (CSE:MAXX) opened trading at $0.81
Max Power (CSE:MAXX) has confirmed what it describes as Canada’s first verified subsurface Natural Hydrogen system, following testing of its Lawson exploration well near Central Butte, approximately 140 kilometres south of Saskatoon. The well is the first in Canada drilled specifically to target Natural Hydrogen.
The company announced that hydrogen concentrations reached as high as 28.6 per cent, based on analyses conducted by three independent laboratories. The discovery marks a significant milestone in an emerging segment of the clean‑energy sector known as geologic, or “white,” hydrogen—naturally occurring hydrogen trapped in subsurface formations.
Discovery points to larger geological potential
According to Max Power, the Lawson results validate the company’s geological model for Natural Hydrogen occurrences across the 475‑kilometre-long Genesis Trend, a corridor where the company holds a 1.3‑million‑acre land position. The Genesis Trend lies adjacent to the Regina–Moose Jaw Industrial Corridor, where regional hydrogen demand is already established.
The company reports that the Lawson well encountered:
- Hydrogen concentrations up to 286,000 ppm (28.6 per cent)
- Free gas flow to surface immediately after perforation
- Evidence of a pressurized reservoir with significant drive mechanism
- Fractured Precambrian basement rocks interpreted as source and host intervals
- Elevated helium readings up to 8.7 per cent in samples above the basement zone, suggesting a possible stacked gas system
Independent laboratory results from AGAT, Corelab, and the Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC) confirmed hydrogen contents between 16.8 per cent and 19.07 per cent from flow‑test samples, with AGAT reporting the highest values from sealed core tubes.
The gas composition—a hydrogen‑nitrogen mix without hydrogen sulfide—indicates a geological origin for the hydrogen, Max Power said.
“This is a defining moment for Max Power, Saskatchewan and Canada. We have confirmed the existence of a natural hydrogen system in the subsurface from the first well ever drilled in this country, specifically targeting this new primary energy source,” the company’s president and CEO, Ran Narayanasamy, said in a news release. “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. This is an important milestone that positions Saskatchewan at the forefront of a rapidly emerging new clean energy industry.”
Saskatchewan’s role in emerging hydrogen exploration
Saskatchewan is currently the only helium‑producing province in Canada and is a global centre for uranium and potash. In recent years, the province has developed what industry analysts consider one of the country’s most advanced regulatory frameworks for Natural Hydrogen exploration.
The rapid confirmation of hydrogen at Lawson adds momentum to Saskatchewan’s efforts to diversify its resource portfolio. The discovery positions the region as an early stage participant in what could become a new clean hydrogen supply chain, although commercial viability remains to be proven.
Next steps planned for early 2026
Max Power outlined several steps planned for the first half of 2026 as it advances the Lawson discovery toward commercial assessment:
- Resource modelling and estimation, drawing on existing core, gas, and flow‑test data
- A 47‑square‑kilometre 3D seismic survey to define reservoir geometry and potential trapping features
- A confirmatory well, optimized using new seismic data, to evaluate production potential
- Stakeholder engagement, including Saskatchewan industrial users and companies in the AI and energy sectors
The company will also integrate new geological and reservoir data into its AI‑assisted modelling system, MAXX LEMI, which is intended to support future exploration and targeting across the Genesis Trend and international markets.
Ongoing technical work
Analytical studies continue on core samples from the Lawson well, including mineralogy, porosity, and permeability measurements. Max Power reports that early indications suggest a connected, fractured reservoir system in the upper basement rocks, which delivered strong initial pressures before formation brine entered the wellbore during testing.
The company states that the consistency of laboratory results provides sufficient reliability to proceed with preliminary resource evaluation and exploration planning.
Industry implications
The Lawson find represents the first time Natural Hydrogen has been confirmed in Canada through deep drilling, marking a shift in the sector from theoretical possibility to demonstrated subsurface occurrence. While commercial viability remains uncertain, the discovery adds Canada to a small but growing list of jurisdictions reporting Natural Hydrogen accumulations.
The coming year is expected to determine whether the Lawson system—and the broader Genesis Trend—can support scalable development and long‑term production.
About Max Power Mining Corp.
With headquarters in Vancouver, Max Power Mining Corp. is an exploration-stage resource company targeting domestic lithium resources.
Max Power Mining stock (CSE:MAXX) opened trading 20 per cent higher at $0.81 and has risen 237.50 per cent since this time last year.
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