LAKE COUNTY— A mysterious seismic survey conducted along a stretch of Hwy. 2 near Isabella has drawn the attention of state and federal regulators, raising questions about who authorized the work, which appears to be part of an effort to locate natural hydrogen in the state.
The company that commissioned the survey effort, Denver-based Koloma, is one of two companies that have expressed interest in locating hydrogen deposits in northeastern Minnesota.
As first reported in the Lake County Press, the survey work was noticed Nov. 25, when a large seismic vibrator truck — equipment commonly used in subsurface exploration — was spotted by this reporter repeatedly stopping along the highway shoulder and sending vibrations into the ground. Such trucks generate controlled seismic waves that are analyzed to identify underground geological formations that may contain valuable minerals or gases.
Initial speculation centered on Pulsar Helium, which recently received authorization from the U.S. Forest Service to conduct a seismic survey in the area as part of its Topaz Project, located near Babbitt. But federal officials and Pulsar CEO Thomas Abraham-James confirmed that the company had no involvement in the survey effort.
Abraham-James noted that Pulsar’s results in the area are publicly known and acknowledged the possibility of competitors. “Based on our success to date, I would not be surprised if we had some ‘admirers,’” he said.
Federal officials say they’re looking into the matter. “We’re still gathering information and trying to find out exactly the who, what, and where,” said Eric Wirz, a geologist with the U.S. Forest Service. “The whole thing is just kind of bizarre. It’s definitely been a first for me.”
Ted Anderson, assistant director of the DNR’s Lands and Minerals Division, said he was unaware of any seismic surveys being conducted in the past without state involvement or authorization.
Interest in the production of natural hydrogen, which is located in underground deposits, has grown in recent years along with interest in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Hydrogen emits no carbon when burned, in contrast to most fossil fuels. Though the sector is still in its infancy, global interest has grown rapidly in recent years, and northern Minnesota has been identified as a likely location for hydrogen deposits.
Two companies have publicly expressed interest in Minnesota’s potential for natural hydrogen, including Koloma, founded in 2021, and Quebec Innovative Materials Corp., or QIMC.
Koloma has raised about $400 million from investors including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, United Airlines’ Sustainable Flight Fund, Osaka Gas, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. QIMC operates in Minnesota through a subsidiary, Orvian Natural Resources LLC.
QIMC CEO John Karagiannidis said his company did not conduct the Hwy. 2 survey but confirmed it is pursuing hydrogen exploration permits from the DNR. The company has secured two Restricted Geophysical Research Areas covering about 72 square miles in St. Louis County and expects additional approvals in Lake and Cook counties.
“We’re very confident that you’re going to find natural hydrogen in the state of Minnesota,” Karagiannidis said. He rates the odds of commercial viability as “very high.” 
While Koloma failed to seek work permits from either state or federal regulators, Iron Range Exploration LLC, a company conducting the work for Koloma, did obtain a “utility permit” from Lake County, which was issued Aug. 28. The permit is for “geophysical survey” along 69 miles of county and forest roads, including County Rd. 2 and Forest Hwy. 11. The permit listed two seismic vibrator trucks, nearly 30 workers and multiple support vehicles.
State and federal officials said the company appeared to have obtained authorization only from Lake County, not from the DNR or the U.S. Forest Service. Forest officials said a Special Use Authorization should have been approved before work began on federal land.
Anderson of the DNR said permits may not be required if a company is exploring exclusively on privately owned mineral rights, but noted it would be unusual for a firm to control mineral rights along the entire corridor. Koloma reportedly has leases with RGGS, one of the largest private landowners in the state, and at least some of the recent work may be happening on lands controlled by RGGS.
Koloma, in a statement, claimed that it did not conduct survey work on state or federal resources and that it had obtained all necessary authorization.
Regulators said the legal framework governing gas exploration in Minnesota is complex and still evolving. The recent survey effort suggests regulators may need to finalize that framework sooner rather than later.