A scientometric review of blue hydrogen production

Abstract

Abstract Blue hydrogen, produced from natural gas with carbon capture and storage (CCS) is increasingly viewed as a key pathway for large-scale hydrogen supply and energy system decarbonization. This study analyzes 1432 publications indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) (2000–2025) to examine the global evolution of blue hydrogen research. Bibliometric methods were applied using Bibliometrix for performance analysis, VOSviewer for collaboration and keyword mapping, and CiteSpace for cluster and trend analysis. Results show limited activity before 2010, followed by rapid growth after 2018 and strong acceleration in the past five years. China, the United States, and Europe lead in output, with growing contributions from the Middle East and South Asia. Collaboration networks indicate increasing international partnerships. Major research themes include steam methane reforming (SMR) with CCS, techno-economic and life-cycle assessments, capture and purification technologies, transport and storage logistics, and policy frameworks. Emerging topics include supply chain decarbonization, methane leakage, infrastructure planning, and carbon credit mechanisms. The findings provide a comprehensive map of trends, gaps, and future research directions in blue hydrogen.