About Aqua Rare Metals
Unified expertise
Integrated subsurface expertise
ARM unites reservoir geologists, geochemists, chemical engineers, and energy transition specialists with decades of operational experience across offshore and onshore oilfields. Our background includes high-resolution subsurface evaluation, brine geochemistry, reservoir production, DLE screening, and CRM anomaly mapping.
Turning water into resources
Bridging subsurface and technology
From screening to scale
Our Mission
To provide Europe with secure, sustainable, and local sources of critical raw materials — by transforming produced water into a valuable asset.
Our Vision
Reimagining energy assets for value
A world where existing energy infrastructure becomes part of the solution:
Reducing mining pressure
Supporting circular resource use
Creating new revenue streams for operators
Strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy
End-to-end capabilities
Our Expertise Covers:
Produced-water CRM anomaly mapping
Lithium-bearing brine identification
Geochemical modelling & scaling prediction
Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology selection
Pilot integration on offshore and onshore facilities
EU regulatory and CRMA compliance
Subsurface project development
Haakon Haaland – CEO/Chairman
Prior to co-founding Aqua Rare Metals AS, Haakon spent 40 years in international upstream oil and gas. He served more than 20 years with ConocoPhillips based in Stavanger, Houston and London where he held various commercial and managerial positions. He was appointed managing director of E.ON E&P Norge OL Norge in 2008 and from 2012 to 2016 he was Executive Vice President Business Development for E.ON E&P with the primary countries of operations UK, Norway, Russia, Algeria and Brazil also acting as vice-chairman of the onshore gas production company, Parnaiba Gas Natural. He joined MOL Hungary as head of business development in 2017 also leading the Norwegian subsidiary.
Leaving oil and gas in 2023 Haakon joined Vanir Green Industries, an investment company that builds and scales sustainable and profitable companies such as Blastr (low carbon steel production) and Freija (e-fuels) and supported their development for a couple of years. Since then Haakon has been engaged with start-ups in energy production and integrated planning.
Haakon Haaland holds an MBA from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration in Bergen.
István Nagy-Korodi, PhD – Co-Founder & Chief Geologist
István is a geologist with over 20 years of experience in subsurface evaluation, critical raw materials (CRM) exploration, and geothermal–geochemistry integration across Europe, Middle East, Asia and North-Africa. Before co-founding ARM, he worked more than a decade in upstream oil and gas exploration and field development, contributing to reservoir appraisal, geochemical modelling, and strategic project development at major industry players.
Building on this background, István has become a recognized expert in lithium and CRM-focused brine systems, leading several regional initiatives on resource assessment, extraction technologies, and innovation-driven pilot projects. His deep experience spans Hungary, Romania, the Pannonian Basin, and the North Sea region, where he has collaborated with industry, research institutions, and EU-level programs.
He is an active contributor to the scientific community through conference presentations, peer-reviewed publications, and participation in international CRM and energy-transition forums. Beyond technical work, István supports early-stage innovation and cross-border collaboration in sustainable resource development, helping bridge geology, technology, and strategic planning.
István holds a PhD in Earth Sciences and continues to publish and speak widely on lithium brines, critical mineral systems, and sustainable extraction pathways.
Helge Holm-Larsen – Chief Science & Technology Advisor
Helge Holm-Larsen is a highly respected technology expert and project leader with more than 35 years of experience in the Nordic and international energy sector. His career spans senior roles in Danish Technological Institute, Rambøll, Energinet, and various innovation-focused organizations, where he has led large R&D programs in hydrogen, Power-to-X, CO₂ utilization, geothermal energy, and integrated energy systems.
Helge has been instrumental in shaping several national and EU-funded clean-energy initiatives, focusing on technology validation, system integration, and accelerating the deployment of sustainable solutions. As former CEO of Hydrogen Denmark, he played a central role in strengthening Denmark’s position as a frontrunner in the hydrogen economy, promoting cross-sector collaboration and strategic development of the hydrogen value chain.
With an academic background in chemical engineering and decades of experience at the interface of industry, research, and policy, Helge brings deep expertise in energy systems analysis, technology road-mapping, and innovation strategy. At ARM, he contributes to the scientific and technological direction of the company, supporting project development, evaluation of emerging CRM technologies, and the integration of novel extraction and processing solutions into future energy systems
Dr. Robert Auer
Róbert Auer PhD is an innovation strategist and consultant with extensive experience in EU-level projects, critical raw materials (CRM) development, and collaboration with industry, research institutions, and government partners. His work focuses on supporting the development and implementation of innovation frameworks that bridge research, funding mechanisms, and commercial deployment across Europe.
He brings deep expertise in innovation management, stakeholder engagement, and strategic alignment of multi-partner projects — skills that strengthen ARM’s capabilities in delivering high-impact CRM and energy transition initiatives.
At ARM, Róbert contributes to advancing project design, enhancing consortium integration, and ensuring that scientific insights translate into actionable development pathways for raw materials and energy resources.
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Henrik Jakobsen – Senior Subsurface & Operations Advisor
Henrik Jakobsen is an accomplished upstream operations and subsurface specialist with more than 40 years of international energy sector experience. His professional background spans drilling operations, well integrity, reservoir management, and field development, with senior technical and managerial roles supporting both greenfield and brownfield assets.
Henrik has contributed to complex, safety-critical offshore projects, delivering operational excellence and integrating geological, drilling, and production perspectives to optimize field performance. His multidisciplinary experience includes work with major North Sea operators, where he supported long-term field planning, technology implementation, and risk-based asset management.
At ARM, Henrik brings deep operational insight together with a strong systems-engineering mindset, strengthening the company’s ability to evaluate and develop innovative extraction concepts, including offshore-adapted critical raw materials (CRM) solutions. His experience in cross-functional team leadership and regulatory environments adds further robustness to ARM’s technical and strategic capabilities