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Yuan G, Jin Z, Cao Y, Schulz HM, Gluyas J, Liu K, He X, Wang Y. Microdroplets initiate organic-inorganic interactions and mass transfer in thermal hydrous geosystems. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4960. [PMID: 38862499 PMCID: PMC11167059 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49293-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Organic-inorganic interactions regulate the dynamics of hydrocarbons, water, minerals, CO2, and H2 in thermal rocks, yet their initiation remains debated. To address this, we conducted isotope-tagged and in-situ visual thermal experiments. Isotope-tagged studies revealed extensive H/O transfers in hydrous n-C20H42-H2O-feldspar systems. Visual experiments observed water microdroplets forming at 150-165 °C in oil phases near the water-oil interface without surfactants, persisting until complete miscibility above 350 °C. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) detected hydroxyl free radicals concurrent with microdroplet formation. Here we propose a two-fold mechanism: water-derived and n-C20H42-derived free radicals drive interactions with organic species, while water-derived and mineral-derived ions trigger mineral interactions. These processes, facilitated by microdroplets and bulk water, blur boundaries between organic and inorganic species, enabling extensive interactions and mass transfer. Our findings redefine microscopic interplays between organic and inorganic components, offering insights into diagenetic and hydrous-metamorphic processes, and mass transfer cycles in deep basins and subduction zones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanghui Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Deep Oil and Gas, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, P.R. China.
- Institute of Energy, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China.
| | - Zihao Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Deep Oil and Gas, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, P.R. China
| | - Yingchang Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Deep Oil and Gas, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, P.R. China.
| | - Hans-Martin Schulz
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jon Gluyas
- Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Keyu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Deep Oil and Gas, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, P.R. China
| | - Xingliang He
- Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, China Geological Survey, Qingdao, China
| | - Yanzhong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Deep Oil and Gas, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, P.R. China
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2
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Chowdhury A, Ventura GT, Owino Y, Lalk EJ, MacAdam N, Dooma JM, Ono S, Fowler M, MacDonald A, Bennett R, MacRae RA, Hubert CRJ, Bentley JN, Kerr MJ. Cold seep formation from salt diapir-controlled deep biosphere oases. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2316878121. [PMID: 38466851 PMCID: PMC10963010 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316878121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Deep sea cold seeps are sites where hydrogen sulfide, methane, and other hydrocarbon-rich fluids vent from the ocean floor. They are an important component of Earth's carbon cycle in which subsurface hydrocarbons form the energy source for highly diverse benthic micro- and macro-fauna in what is otherwise vast and spartan sea scape. Passive continental margin cold seeps are typically attributed to the migration of hydrocarbons generated from deeply buried source rocks. Many of these seeps occur over salt tectonic provinces, where the movement of salt generates complex fault systems that can enable fluid migration or create seals and traps associated with reservoir formation. The elevated advective heat transport of the salt also produces a chimney effect directly over these structures. Here, we provide geophysical and geochemical evidence that the salt chimney effect in conjunction with diapiric faulting drives a subsurface groundwater circulation system that brings dissolved inorganic carbon, nutrient-rich deep basinal fluids, and potentially overlying seawater onto the crests of deeply buried salt diapirs. The mobilized fluids fuel methanogenic archaea locally enhancing the deep biosphere. The resulting elevated biogenic methane production, alongside the upward heat-driven fluid transport, represents a previously unrecognized mechanism of cold seep formation and regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anirban Chowdhury
- Department of Geology, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, NSB3H 3C3, Canada
| | - Gregory T. Ventura
- Department of Geology, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, NSB3H 3C3, Canada
| | - Yaisa Owino
- Department of Geology, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, NSB3H 3C3, Canada
| | - Ellen J. Lalk
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Natasha MacAdam
- Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables, Halifax, NSB3J 3J9, Canada
| | - John M. Dooma
- Department of Geology, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, NSB3H 3C3, Canada
| | - Shuhei Ono
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Martin Fowler
- Applied Petroleum Technology (Canada) Ltd., Calgary, ABT3A 2M3, Canada
| | - Adam MacDonald
- Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables, Halifax, NSB3J 3J9, Canada
| | - Robbie Bennett
- Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada-Atlantic, Dartmouth, NSB2Y 4A2, Canada
| | - R. Andrew MacRae
- Department of Geology, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, NSB3H 3C3, Canada
| | - Casey R. J. Hubert
- Geomicrobiology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, ABT2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Jeremy N. Bentley
- Department of Geology, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, NSB3H 3C3, Canada
| | - Mitchell J. Kerr
- Department of Geology, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, NSB3H 3C3, Canada
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3
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Zhang P, Ma S, Zhang Y, He C, Hu T. Enhancing CO 2/N 2 and CH 4/N 2 separation performance by salt-modified aluminum-based metal-organic frameworks. Dalton Trans 2024. [PMID: 38247311 DOI: 10.1039/d3dt03993e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The energy-saving separation of CO2/N2 and CH4/N2 in the energy industry facilitates the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and replenishes energy resources, but is a challenging separation process. The trade-off between adsorption capacity and selectivity of the adsorbents is one of the key bottlenecks in adsorption separation technologies' large-scale application in the above separation task. Herein, we introduced a series of fluoroborate or fluorosilicate salts (Cu(BF4)2, Zn(BF4)2 and ZnSiF6) into the open coordination nitrogen sites of aluminum-based metal-organic frameworks (MOF-253) to create multiple binding sites to simultaneously enhance the adsorption capacity and selectivity for the target gas. By the synergistic adsorption effect of metal ions (Cu2+ or Zn2+) and fluorinated anions (BF4- or (SiF6)2-), the single-component adsorption capacity and selectivity of salt-modified MOF-253 (MOF-253@Cu(BF4)2, MOF-253@Zn(BF4)2 and MOF-253@ZnSiF6) for CO2 and CH4 were effectively improved when compared to pristine MOF-253 at 298 K and 1 bar. In addition, the salt-modified MOF-253 has a moderate adsorption heat (<30 kJ mol-1) which could be rapidly regenerated at low energy by evacuation desorption. As confirmed by the ambient breakthrough experiments of MOF-253 and MOF-253@ZnSiF6, the real separation performance for both CO2/N2 (1/4) and CH4/N2 (1/4) was obviously improved. This work provides a feasible post-modification strategy on uncoordinated sites of the framework to improve adsorption separation performance and promote the development of ideal adsorbents with a view to realizing their application in the energy industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan, 030051, Shanxi, P. R. China.
| | - Sai Ma
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan, 030051, Shanxi, P. R. China.
| | - Yujuan Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan, 030051, Shanxi, P. R. China.
| | - Chaohui He
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan, 030051, Shanxi, P. R. China.
| | - Tuoping Hu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan, 030051, Shanxi, P. R. China.
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4
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Zhao H, Li Y, Liu W, Zhang G, Wang Y. The Dynamic Evolution Model of the Chemical and Carbon Isotopic Composition of C 1-3 during the Hydrocarbon Generation Process. Molecules 2024; 29:476. [PMID: 38257388 PMCID: PMC10820989 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29020476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
A new approach is presented in this paper for the dynamic modeling of the chemical and isotopic evolution of C1-3 during the hydrocarbon generation process. Based on systematic data obtained from published papers for the pyrolysis of various hydrocarbon sources (type I kerogen/source rock, type II kerogen/source rock, type III kerogen/source rock, crude oil, and asphalt, etc.), the empirical evolution framework of the chemical and isotopic composition of C1-3 during the hydrocarbon generation process was built. Although the empirical framework was built only by fitting a large amount of pyrolysis data, the chemical and isotopic composition of C1-3 derived from the pyrolysis experiments all follow evolution laws, convincing us that it is applicable to the thermal evolution process of various hydrocarbon sources. Based on the simplified formula of the isotopic composition of mixed natural gas at different maturities (δ13Cmixed), δ13Cmixed = X×niA×δ13CiA+Y×niB×δ13CiBX×niA+Y×niB, it can be derived that the cumulative isotopic composition of alkane generated in a certain maturity interval can be expressed by the integral of the product of the instantaneous isotopic composition and instantaneous yield at a certain maturity point, and then divided by the cumulative yield of alkane generated in the corresponding maturity interval. Thus, the cumulative isotopic composition (A(X)), cumulative yield (B(X)), instantaneous isotope (C(X)), and instantaneous yield (D(x)) in the dynamic model, comply with the following formula during the maturity interval of (X0~X). A(X) = ∫X0XCX×DXdxB(X), where A(X) and B(X) can be obtained by the fitting of pyrolysis data, and D(x) can also be obtained from the derivation of B(X). The dynamic model was applied on the pyrolysis data of Pingliang Shale to illustrate the quantitative evolution of the cumulative yield, instantaneous yield, cumulative isotope, and instantaneous isotope of C1-3 with increasing maturity. The dynamic model can quantify the yield of methane, ethane, and propane, as well as δ13C1, δ13C2, and δ13C3, respectively, during the hydrocarbon generation process. This model is of great significance for evaluating the natural gas resources of hydrocarbon source rock of different maturities and for identifying the origin and evolutionary process of hydrocarbons by chemical and isotopic data. Moreover, this model provides an approach to study the dynamic evolution of the isotope series of C1-3 (including reversed isotopic series), which is promising for revealing the mechanism responsible for isotopic reversal when combined with post-generation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Zhao
- Jiangsu Design Institute of Geology for Mineral Resources (The Testing Center of China National Administration of Coal Geology (CNACG)), Xuzhou 221006, China; (Y.L.); (G.Z.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yanjie Li
- Jiangsu Design Institute of Geology for Mineral Resources (The Testing Center of China National Administration of Coal Geology (CNACG)), Xuzhou 221006, China; (Y.L.); (G.Z.); (Y.W.)
| | - Wenhui Liu
- Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China;
| | - Guchun Zhang
- Jiangsu Design Institute of Geology for Mineral Resources (The Testing Center of China National Administration of Coal Geology (CNACG)), Xuzhou 221006, China; (Y.L.); (G.Z.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yanjun Wang
- Jiangsu Design Institute of Geology for Mineral Resources (The Testing Center of China National Administration of Coal Geology (CNACG)), Xuzhou 221006, China; (Y.L.); (G.Z.); (Y.W.)
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5
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Wang X, Liu CQ, Yi Y, Zeng M, Li SL, Niu X. Machine Learning Predicts the Methane Clumped Isotopologue ( 12CH 2D 2) Distributions Constrain Biogeochemical Processes and Estimates the Potential Budget. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:17876-17888. [PMID: 37414443 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Methane (CH4) is a matter of environmental concern; however, global methane isotopologue data remain inadequate. This is due to the challenges posed by high-resolution testing technology and the need for larger sample volumes. Here, worldwide methane clumped isotope databases (n = 465) were compiled. We compared machine-learning (ML) models and used random forest (RF) to predict new Δ12CH2D2 distributions, which cover valuable and hard-to-replicate methane clumped isotope experimental data. Our RF model yields a reliable and continuous database including ruminants, acetoclastic methane, multiple pyrolysis, and controlled experiments. We showed the effectiveness of utilizing a new data set to quantify isotopologue fractionations in biogeochemical methane processes, as well as predicting the steady-state atmospheric methane clumped isotope composition (Δ13CH3D of +2.26 ± 0.71‰ and Δ12CH2D2 of +62.06 ± 4.42‰) with notable biological contributions. Our measured summer and winter water emitted gases (n = 6) demonstrated temperature-driven seasonal microbial community evolution determined by atmospheric clumped isotope temporal variations (Δ 13CH3D ∼ -0.91 ± 0.25 ‰ and Δ12CH2D2 ∼ +3.86 ± 0.84 ‰), which in turn is relevant for future models quantifying the contribution of methane sources and sinks. Predicting clumped isotopologues translates our methane geochemical understanding into quantifiable variables for modeling that can continue to improve predictions and potentially inform global greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinchu Wang
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Cong-Qiang Liu
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yuanbi Yi
- Department of Ocean Science and the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Meiling Zeng
- D'Amore-McKim School of Business, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Si-Liang Li
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xueqi Niu
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
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6
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Haghnegahdar MA, Sun J, Hultquist N, Hamovit ND, Kitchen N, Eiler J, Ono S, Yarwood SA, Kaufman AJ, Dickerson RR, Bouyon A, Magen C, Farquhar J. Tracing sources of atmospheric methane using clumped isotopes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2305574120. [PMID: 37956282 PMCID: PMC10666091 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305574120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
We apply a recently developed measurement technique for methane (CH4) isotopologues* (isotopic variants of CH4-13CH4, 12CH3D, 13CH3D, and 12CH2D2) to identify contributions to the atmospheric burden from fossil fuel and microbial sources. The aim of this study is to constrain factors that ultimately control the concentration of this potent greenhouse gas on global, regional, and local levels. While predictions of atmospheric methane isotopologues have been modeled, we present direct measurements that point to a different atmospheric methane composition and to a microbial flux with less clumping (greater deficits relative to stochastic) in both 13CH3D and 12CH2D2 than had been previously assigned. These differences make atmospheric isotopologue data sufficiently sensitive to variations in microbial to fossil fuel fluxes to distinguish between emissions scenarios such as those generated by different versions of EDGAR (the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research), even when existing constraints on the atmospheric CH4 concentration profile as well as traditional isotopes are kept constant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojhgan A. Haghnegahdar
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD20742
- Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD20742
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD21037
| | - Jiayang Sun
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD20742
| | - Nicole Hultquist
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD20742
| | - Nora D. Hamovit
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD20742
| | - Nami Kitchen
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - John Eiler
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - Shuhei Ono
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Stephanie A. Yarwood
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD20742
| | - Alan J. Kaufman
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD20742
- Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD20742
| | - Russell R. Dickerson
- Department of Oceanic and Atmospheric Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD20742
| | - Amaury Bouyon
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD20742
| | - Cédric Magen
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD20742
| | - James Farquhar
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD20742
- Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD20742
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7
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Bojanova DP, De Anda VY, Haghnegahdar MA, Teske AP, Ash JL, Young ED, Baker BJ, LaRowe DE, Amend JP. Well-hidden methanogenesis in deep, organic-rich sediments of Guaymas Basin. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:1828-1838. [PMID: 37596411 PMCID: PMC10579335 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01485-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Deep marine sediments (>1mbsf) harbor ~26% of microbial biomass and are the largest reservoir of methane on Earth. Yet, the deep subsurface biosphere and controls on its contribution to methane production remain underexplored. Here, we use a multidisciplinary approach to examine methanogenesis in sediments (down to 295 mbsf) from sites with varying degrees of thermal alteration (none, past, current) at Guaymas Basin (Gulf of California) for the first time. Traditional (13C/12C and D/H) and multiply substituted (13CH3D and 12CH2D2) methane isotope measurements reveal significant proportions of microbial methane at all sites, with the largest signal at the site with past alteration. With depth, relative microbial methane decreases at differing rates between sites. Gibbs energy calculations confirm methanogenesis is exergonic in Guaymas sediments, with methylotrophic pathways consistently yielding more energy than the canonical hydrogenotrophic and acetoclastic pathways. Yet, metagenomic sequencing and cultivation attempts indicate that methanogens are present in low abundance. We find only one methyl-coenzyme M (mcrA) sequence within the entire sequencing dataset. Also, we identify a wide diversity of methyltransferases (mtaB, mttB), but only a few sequences phylogenetically cluster with methylotrophic methanogens. Our results suggest that the microbial methane in the Guaymas subsurface was produced over geologic time by relatively small methanogen populations, which have been variably influenced by thermal sediment alteration. Higher resolution metagenomic sampling may clarify the modern methanogen community. This study highlights the importance of using a multidisciplinary approach to capture microbial influences in dynamic, deep subsurface settings like Guaymas Basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana P Bojanova
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Valerie Y De Anda
- Department of Marine Science, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | | | - Andreas P Teske
- Department of Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jeanine L Ash
- Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Edward D Young
- Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California - Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Brett J Baker
- Department of Marine Science, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Douglas E LaRowe
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jan P Amend
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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8
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Chen X, Xia Y, Zhang Z, Hua L, Jia X, Wang F, Zare RN. Hydrocarbon Degradation by Contact with Anoxic Water Microdroplets. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:21538-21545. [PMID: 37725034 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c07445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Oils are hydrophobic, but their degradation is frequently found to be accelerated in the presence of water microdroplets. The direct chemical consequences of water-oil contact have long been overlooked. We show that aqueous microdroplets in emulsified water-hexadecane (C16H34) mixtures can spontaneously produce CO2, •H, H2, and short-chain hydrocarbons (mainly C1 and C2) as detected by gas chromatography, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. This reaction results from contact electrification at the water-oil microdroplet interface, in which reactive oxygen species are produced, such as hydrated hydroxyl radicals and hydrogen peroxide. We also find that the H2 originates from the water microdroplet and not the hydrocarbon it contacts. These observations highlight the potential of interfacial contact electrification to produce new chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuke Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Yu Xia
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 ,United States
| | - Zhenyuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Lei Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, P. R. China
| | - Xiuquan Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, P. R. China
| | - Feng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, P. R. China
| | - Richard N Zare
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 ,United States
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9
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Chawla M, Lavania M, Sahu N, Shekhar S, Singh N, More A, Iyer M, Kumar S, Singh K, Lal B. Culture-independent assessment of the indigenous microbial diversity of Raniganj coal bed methane block, Durgapur. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1233605. [PMID: 37731928 PMCID: PMC10507629 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1233605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
It is widely acknowledged that conventional mining and extraction techniques have left many parts of the world with depleting coal reserves. A sustainable method for improving the recovery of natural gas from coalbeds involves enhancing the production of biogenic methane in coal mines. By taking a culture-independent approach, the diversity of the microbial community present in the formation water of an Indian reservoir was examined using 16S rRNA gene amplification in order to study the potential of microbial-enhanced coal bed methane (CBM) production from the deep thermogenic wells at a depth of 800-1200 m. Physicochemical characterization of formation water and coal samples was performed with the aim of understanding the in situ reservoir conditions that are most favorable for microbial CBM production. Microbial community analysis of formation water showed that bacteria were more abundant than archaea. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes were found as the most prevalent phyla in all the samples. These phyla play a crucial role in providing substrate for the process of methanogenesis by performing fermentative, hydrolytic, and syntrophic functions. Considerable variation in the abundance of microbial genera was observed amongst the selected CBM wells, potentially due to variable local geochemical conditions within the reservoir. The results of our study provide insights into the impact of geochemical factors on microbial distribution within the reservoir. Further, the study demonstrates lab-scale enhancement in methane production through nutrient amendment. It also focuses on understanding the microbial diversity of the Raniganj coalbed methane block using amplicon sequencing and further recognizing the potential of biogenic methane enhancement through microbial stimulation. The findings of the study will help as a reference for better strategization and implementation of on-site microbial stimulation for enhanced biogenic methane production in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansi Chawla
- Environmental and Industrial Biotechnology Division, The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Meeta Lavania
- Environmental and Industrial Biotechnology Division, The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Nishi Sahu
- Environmental and Industrial Biotechnology Division, The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Nimmi Singh
- Environmental and Industrial Biotechnology Division, The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Anand More
- Essar Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Limited, Durgapur, West Bengal, India
| | - Magesh Iyer
- Essar Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Limited, Durgapur, West Bengal, India
| | - Sanjay Kumar
- Essar Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Limited, Durgapur, West Bengal, India
| | | | - Banwari Lal
- Environmental and Industrial Biotechnology Division, The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi, India
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10
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Tyne RL, Barry PH, Lawson M, Lloyd KG, Giovannelli D, Summers ZM, Ballentine CJ. Identifying and Understanding Microbial Methanogenesis in CO 2 Storage. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023. [PMID: 37327355 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c08652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is an important component in many national net-zero strategies. Ensuring that CO2 can be safely and economically stored in geological systems is critical. To date, CCS research has focused on the physiochemical behavior of CO2, yet there has been little consideration of the subsurface microbial impact on CO2 storage. However, recent discoveries have shown that microbial processes (e.g., methanogenesis) can be significant. Importantly, methanogenesis may modify the fluid composition and the fluid dynamics within the storage reservoir. Such changes may subsequently reduce the volume of CO2 that can be stored and change the mobility and future trapping systematics of the evolved supercritical fluid. Here, we review the current knowledge of how microbial methanogenesis could impact CO2 storage, including the potential scale of methanogenesis and the range of geologic settings under which this process operates. We find that methanogenesis is possible in all storage target types; however, the kinetics and energetics of methanogenesis will likely be limited by H2 generation. We expect that the bioavailability of H2 (and thus potential of microbial methanogenesis) will be greatest in depleted hydrocarbon fields and least within saline aquifers. We propose that additional integrated monitoring requirements are needed for CO2 storage to trace any biogeochemical processes including baseline, temporal, and spatial studies. Finally, we suggest areas where further research should be targeted in order to fully understand microbial methanogenesis in CO2 storage sites and its potential impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- R L Tyne
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, United States
| | - P H Barry
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, United States
| | | | - K G Lloyd
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - D Giovannelli
- University of Naples Federico II, Naples 80138 Italy
| | - Z M Summers
- LanzaTech, Skokie, Illinois 60077, United States
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11
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Taguchi K, Gilbert A, Sherwood Lollar B, Giunta T, Boreham CJ, Liu Q, Horita J, Ueno Y. Low 13C- 13C abundances in abiotic ethane. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5790. [PMID: 36184637 PMCID: PMC9527245 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33538-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Distinguishing biotic compounds from abiotic ones is important in resource geology, biogeochemistry, and the search for life in the universe. Stable isotopes have traditionally been used to discriminate the origins of organic materials, with particular focus on hydrocarbons. However, despite extensive efforts, unequivocal distinction of abiotic hydrocarbons remains challenging. Recent development of clumped-isotope analysis provides more robust information because it is independent of the stable isotopic composition of the starting material. Here, we report data from a 13C-13C clumped-isotope analysis of ethane and demonstrate that the abiotically-synthesized ethane shows distinctively low 13C-13C abundances compared to thermogenic ethane. A collision frequency model predicts the observed low 13C-13C abundances (anti-clumping) in ethane produced from methyl radical recombination. In contrast, thermogenic ethane presumably exhibits near stochastic 13C-13C distribution inherited from the biological precursor, which undergoes C-C bond cleavage/recombination during metabolism. Further, we find an exceptionally high 13C-13C signature in ethane remaining after microbial oxidation. In summary, the approach distinguishes between thermogenic, microbially altered, and abiotic hydrocarbons. The 13C-13C signature can provide an important step forward for discrimination of the origin of organic molecules on Earth and in extra-terrestrial environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koudai Taguchi
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo, 152-8551, Japan.
| | - Alexis Gilbert
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo, 152-8551, Japan. .,Earth-Life Science Institute (WPI-ELSI), Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan.
| | - Barbara Sherwood Lollar
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3B1, Canada.,Institut de physique du globe de Paris (IPGP), Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Giunta
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3B1, Canada.,Univ Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, Geo-Ocean, F-29280, Plouzané, France
| | | | - Qi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ore Deposit Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China
| | - Juske Horita
- Department of Geosciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Yuichiro Ueno
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo, 152-8551, Japan. .,Earth-Life Science Institute (WPI-ELSI), Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan. .,Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, 237-0061, Japan.
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12
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Hydrocarbon Cycling in the Tokamachi Mud Volcano (Japan): Insights from Isotopologue and Metataxonomic Analyses. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10071417. [PMID: 35889138 PMCID: PMC9323770 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10071417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding hydrocarbon cycling in the subsurface is important in various disciplines including climate science, energy resources and astrobiology. Mud volcanoes provide insights into biogeochemical processes occurring in the subsurface. They are usually associated with natural gas reservoirs consisting mainly of methane and other hydrocarbons as well as CO2. Stable isotopes have been used to decipher the sources and sinks of hydrocarbons in the subsurface, although the interpretation can be ambiguous due to the numerous processes involved. Here we report new data for hydrocarbon isotope analysis, including position-specific isotope composition of propane, for samples from the Tokamachi mud volcano area, Japan. The data suggest that C2+ hydrocarbons are being biodegraded, with indirect production of methane (“secondary methanogenesis”). Data from chemical and isotopic composition are discussed with regard to 16S rRNA analysis, which exhibits the presence of hydrogenotrophic and acetoclastic methoanogens. Overall, the combination of isotopologue analysis with 16S rRNA gene data allows refining of our understanding of hydrocarbon cycling in subsurface environments.
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13
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Biogenic Methane Accumulation and Production in the Jurassic Low-Rank Coal, Southwestern Ordos Basin. ENERGIES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/en15093255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Geological conditions are the key for coalbed methane (CBM) accumulation and production. However, the geological feature of CBM accumulation and production in the Jurassic of Ordos Basin lacks systematic and detailed evaluation, resulting in poor CBM production in this area. This study has determined the genetic types of gas according to geochemistry characteristics of the gas, the geological factors to control CBM accumulation and production performance were revealed, and a comprehensive method was established to evaluate favorable areas based on 32 sets of CBM well production data from Jurassic Yan’an Formation. The results show the coal macerals are rich in inertinite (41.13~91.12%), and the maximum reflectance of vitrinite (Ro,max) in coal is 0.56~0.65%. According to gas compositions and carbon isotopes analysis, the δ13C(CH4) is less than −55‰, and the content of heavy hydrocarbon is less than 0.05%. The value of C1/(C2 + C3) is 6800~98,000, that is, the CBM is a typical biogenic gas of low-rank coal. The CBM accumulation model is the secondary biogenic on the gentle slope of the basin margin, in which gas content is closely related to buried depth and hydrodynamic environment, i.e., the high gas content areas are mainly located in the groundwater weak runoff zone at the burial depth of 450 m~650 m, especially in the syncline. Meanwhile, gas production mainly depends on the location of the structure. The high gas production areas of vertical wells were distributed on the gentle slope with high gas content between anticline and syncline, and the horizontal wells with good performance were located near the core of the syncline. According to the above analysis combined with the random forest model, the study area was divided into different production favorable areas, which will provide a scientific basis for the CBM production wells.
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14
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Ren Z, Si X, Chen J, Li X, Lu F. Catalytic Complete Cleavage of C–O and C–C Bonds in Biomass to Natural Gas over Ru(0). ACS Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c00310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwen Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaoqin Si
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Jiali Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- Henan Institute of Advanced Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xiaobing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fang Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
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15
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Gropp J, Jin Q, Halevy I. Controls on the isotopic composition of microbial methane. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm5713. [PMID: 35385305 PMCID: PMC8985922 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm5713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microbial methane production (methanogenesis) is responsible for more than half of the annual emissions of this major greenhouse gas to the atmosphere. Although the stable isotopic composition of methane is often used to characterize its sources and sinks, strictly empirical descriptions of the isotopic signature of methanogenesis currently limit these attempts. We developed a metabolic-isotopic model of methanogenesis by carbon dioxide reduction, which predicts carbon and hydrogen isotopic fractionations, and clumped isotopologue distributions, as functions of the cell's environment. We mechanistically explain multiple isotopic patterns in laboratory and natural settings and show that these patterns constrain the in situ energetics of methanogenesis. Combining our model with data from environments in which methanogenic activity is energy-limited, we provide predictions for the biomass-specific methanogenesis rates and the associated isotopic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Gropp
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Qusheng Jin
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Itay Halevy
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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16
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Li T, Jia X, Chen H, Chang Z, Li L, Wang Y, Li J. Tuning the Pore Environment of MOFs toward Efficient CH 4/N 2 Separation under Humid Conditions. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:15830-15839. [PMID: 35319192 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c01156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Adsorption separation technology using adsorbents is promising as an alternative to the energy-demanding cryogenic distillation of natural gas (CH4/N2) separation. Although a few adsorbents, such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), with high performance for CH4/N2 separation, have been reported, it is still challenging to target the desired adsorbents for the actual CH4/N2 separation under humid conditions because the adsorption capacity and selectivity of the adsorbents might be mainly dampened by water vapor. Except for the high CH4 uptake and CH4/N2 selectivity, the adsorption material should simultaneously have excellent stability against moisture and relatively low-water absorption affinity. Here, we tuned the ligands and metal sites of reticular MOFs, Zn-benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid-1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (Zn-BDC-DABCO) (DMOF), affording a series of isostructural MOFs (DMOF-N, DMOF-A1, DMOF-A2, and DMOF-A3). Because of the finely engineered pore size and introduced aromatic rings in the functional DMOF, gas sorption results reveal that the materials show improved performance with a benchmark CH4 uptake of 37 cm3/g and a high CH4/N2 adsorption selectivity of 7.2 for DMOF-A2 at 298 K and 1.0 bar. Moisture stability experiments show that DMOF-A2 is a robust MOF with low water vapor capacity even at ∼40% relative humidity (RH) because of the presence of more hydrophobic aromatic rings. Breakthrough experiments verify the excellent CH4/N2 separation performances of DMOF-A2 under high humidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Li
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Gas Energy Efficient and Clean Utilization, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
| | - Xiaoxia Jia
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Gas Energy Efficient and Clean Utilization, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Gas Energy Efficient and Clean Utilization, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
| | - Zeyu Chang
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Gas Energy Efficient and Clean Utilization, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
| | - Libo Li
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Gas Energy Efficient and Clean Utilization, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
| | - Yong Wang
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Gas Energy Efficient and Clean Utilization, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
| | - Jinping Li
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Gas Energy Efficient and Clean Utilization, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
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17
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Huang Z, Hu P, Liu J, Shen F, Zhang Y, Chai K, Ying Y, Kang C, Zhang Z, Ji H. Enhancing CH4/N2 separation performance within aluminum-based Metal-Organic Frameworks: Influence of the pore structure and linker polarity. Sep Purif Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.120446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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18
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New Insight on the Stratigraphic-Diffusive Gas Hydrate System since the Pleistocene in the Dongsha Area of the Northeastern South China Sea. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse10030434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The stratigraphic-diffusive type of gas hydrate system is formed by microbial methane produced in a shallow slope space when flowing laterally into hydrate stable zones and is worth studying for both energy supply and academic understanding. A deposition production model matching the vertical and lateral seabed morphological characteristics was constructed to show the accumulation process, layer timing sequence, and reservoir quality of the stratigraphic-diffusive hydrate system in the Dongsha slope sediments since the Pleistocene. Six representative key system factors at three selected moments (1.5 Ma, 700 ka B.P., and at present) have been exhibited during debris is continuously accumulating. The coexistence of the hydrate decomposition in the lower part and the formation in the upper part, and the uneven distribution of hydrates within the slope sediment surface are explained clearly. By comparing four geological cases with diverse environments, it is shown that the diffusive hydrate system is likely to develop into moderate geological conditions. The most powerful carbon fixation ability in this system was quantified within the time range of 100−50 ka B.P. Finally, it was verified that residual methane would converge near the seafloor interface and then eventually overflow out of the seabed into the seawater.
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19
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Catalytic production of low-carbon footprint sustainable natural gas. Nat Commun 2022; 13:258. [PMID: 35017501 PMCID: PMC8752773 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27919-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural gas is one of the foremost basic energy sources on earth. Although biological process appears as promising valorization routes to transfer biomass to sustainable methane, the recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass is the major limitation for the production of mixing gas to meet the natural gas composition of pipeline transportation. Here we develop a catalytic-drive approach to directly transfer solid biomass to bio-natural gas which can be suitable for the current infrastructure. A catalyst with Ni2Al3 alloy phase enables nearly complete conversion of various agricultural and forestry residues, the total carbon yield of gas products reaches up to 93% after several hours at relative low-temperature (300 degrees Celsius). And the catalyst shows powerful processing capability for the production of natural gas during thirty cycles. A low-carbon footprint is estimated by a preliminary life cycle assessment, especially for the low hydrogen pressure and non-fossil hydrogen, and technical economic analysis predicts that this process is an economically competitive production process.
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20
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Tang C, Tan J, Tang C, Liu D, Zhang P, Peng X. Are chlorine isotopologues of polychlorinated organic pollutants binomially distributed? Theoretical evaluation, numerical simulation, experimental evidences and implications for chlorine isotope analysis and source identification. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 282:131099. [PMID: 34119735 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Relative abundances of chlorine isotopologues of polychlorinated organic compounds (POCs) are commonly recognized to comply with binomial distribution. This study investigated whether chlorine isotopologue distributions of polychlorinated organic pollutants are binomial and evaluated implications of the distributions to relevant analytical and environmental research by theoretical derivation, numerical simulation and experiment. Chlorine kinetic isotope effects and equilibrium isotope effects vary in stepwise chlorination reactions, leading to inconsistent chlorine isotope ratios on different reaction positions of products, which results in non-binomial chlorine isotopologue distributions of the products. After physical changes and dechlorination, chlorine isotopologues of POCs are unlikely binomially distributed. The experimental results demonstrated that the chlorine isotopologue distributions of perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene, methyl-triclosan, and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran in standards and four polychlorinated biphenyls in both standard solutions and sediments were non-binomial. The patterns of chlorine isotope ratios derived from pairs of neighboring chlorine isotopologues of POCs from different sources were different, implying different isotopologue distributions, which might cause biases in compound-specific isotope analysis of chlorine (CSIA-Cl) and source identification. A complete-isotopologue scheme for isotope ratio calculation is recommended to CSIA-Cl for obtaining accurate data. Gas chromatography-double focusing magnetic-sector high resolution mass spectrometry is a promising instrument for CSIA-Cl that uses the complete-isotopologue scheme due to its excellent sensitivity, selectivity and ruggedness. This study yields new insights into chlorine isotopologue distributions of polychlorinated organic pollutants and proposes practicable solutions to improve CSIA-Cl that uses gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and facilitate source identification of polychlorinated organic pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caiming Tang
- Laboratory of Advanced Analytical Chemistry and Detection Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Engineering, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan, 523808, China; State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
| | - Jianhua Tan
- Guangzhou Quality Supervision and Testing Institute, Guangzhou, 510110, China
| | - Caixing Tang
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Lingnan Hospital, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Deyun Liu
- Guangzhou Quality Supervision and Testing Institute, Guangzhou, 510110, China
| | - Peilin Zhang
- Guangzhou Quality Supervision and Testing Institute, Guangzhou, 510110, China
| | - Xianzhi Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
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21
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Tang C, Tan J, Tang C, Liu D, Zhang P, Peng X. Characterization of Compound-Specific Chlorine Isotopologue Distributions of Polychlorinated Organic Compounds by GC-HRMS for Source Identification. Anal Chem 2021; 93:8774-8782. [PMID: 34128636 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c00059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Distributions of chlorine isotopologues are potentially a fingerprint feature of organochlorines. However, the exact distributions remain little known. This study measured compound-specific chlorine isotopologue distributions of six polychlorinated organic compounds (POCs) for source identification. Complete chlorine isotopologues of POCs were detected by gas chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry. The measured relative abundances (Ameas), theoretical relative abundances (Atheo), and relative variations between Ameas and Atheo (ΔA) of chlorine isotopologues were determined. These ΔA values were applied to characterize differences in isotopologue distribution patterns, and the ΔA patterns directly illustrated the distribution characteristics. Perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE) from two manufacturers were chosen as model analytes to develop and validate the analytical method, including precision, concentration dependency, and temporal drift. The ΔA values of isotopologues of the PCE and TCE chemicals were from -82.5 to 19.9‰ with standard deviations (SDs) of 0.3-16.9‰. In addition, the ΔA values of the first three isotopologues (with 0-2 37Cl atoms) were from -15.5 to 19.9‰ with SDs of 0.3-1.6‰, showing sufficient precisions. No concentration dependency and temporal drift of ΔA were observed. The method has been successfully applied to source identification for PCE and TCE in commercial chemicals and plastic materials, and four polychlorinated biphenyls in chemicals and sediments, demonstrating that the ΔA values and ΔA patterns were discernable for POCs from different sources. This study demonstrates that compound-specific chlorine isotopologue distributions of POCs are differentiable and measurable, proposing a novel approach to perform fingerprinting analysis for the distributions, which is anticipated to facilitate source identification for organochlorine pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caiming Tang
- Laboratory of Advanced Analytical Chemistry and Detection Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Engineering, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan 523808, China.,State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Jianhua Tan
- Guangzhou Quality Supervision and Testing Institute, Guangzhou 510110, China
| | - Caixing Tang
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Lingnan Hospital, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Deyun Liu
- Guangzhou Quality Supervision and Testing Institute, Guangzhou 510110, China
| | - Peilin Zhang
- Guangzhou Quality Supervision and Testing Institute, Guangzhou 510110, China
| | - Xianzhi Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
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22
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Taguchi K, Gilbert A, Ueno Y. Standardization for 13 C- 13 C clumped isotope analysis by the fluorination method. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2021; 35:e9109. [PMID: 33880802 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.9109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE The 13 C-13 C isotopologues of C2 molecules have recently been measured using a fluorination method. The C2 compound is first fluorinated into hexafluoroethane (C2 F6 ), and its 13 C-isotopologues are subsequently measured using a conventional isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Here, we present an approach for standardizing the fluorination method on an absolute reference scale by using isotopically enriched C2 F6 . METHODS We prepared physical mixtures of 13 C-13 C-labeled ethanol and natural ethanol. The enriched ethanol samples were measured using the recently developed fluorination method. Based on the difference between the calculated and measured ∆13 C13 C values, we quantified the extent to which isotopologues were scrambled during dehydration, fluorination, and ionization in the ion source. RESULTS The measured ∆13 C13 C value was approximately 20% lower than that expected from the amount of 13 C-13 C ethanol. The potential scrambling in the ion source was estimated to be 0.5-2%, which is lower than the observed isotopic reordering. Therefore, isotopic reordering may have occurred during either dehydration or fluorination. CONCLUSIONS For typical analysis of natural samples, scrambling in the ion source can only change the ∆13 C13 C value by less than 0.04‰, which is lower than the current analytical precision (±0.07‰). Therefore, the observed isotopic reordering may have occurred during the fluorination of ethene through the scrambling of isotopologues of ethene but not in the ion source of the mass spectrometer or during the dehydration of ethanol, given the small amount of C1 and C3+ molecules. Thus, we obtained the empirical transfer function ∆13 C13 CCSC = λ × ∆13 C13 C with a λ value of 1.25 ± 0.01 for ethanol/ethene and 1.00 for ethane. Using the empirical transfer function, the developed fluorination method can provide actual differences in ∆ values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koudai Taguchi
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Meguro, 152-8551, Japan
| | - Alexis Gilbert
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Meguro, 152-8551, Japan
- Earth-Life Science Institute (WPI-ELSI), Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Meguro, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Yuichiro Ueno
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Meguro, 152-8551, Japan
- Earth-Life Science Institute (WPI-ELSI), Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Meguro, 152-8550, Japan
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-grade Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Natsushima-cho, 237-0061, Japan
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23
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Tyne RL, Barry PH, Lawson M, Byrne DJ, Warr O, Xie H, Hillegonds DJ, Formolo M, Summers ZM, Skinner B, Eiler JM, Ballentine CJ. Rapid microbial methanogenesis during CO 2 storage in hydrocarbon reservoirs. Nature 2021; 600:670-674. [PMID: 34937895 PMCID: PMC8695373 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04153-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a key technology to mitigate the environmental impact of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. An understanding of the potential trapping and storage mechanisms is required to provide confidence in safe and secure CO2 geological sequestration1,2. Depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs have substantial CO2 storage potential1,3, and numerous hydrocarbon reservoirs have undergone CO2 injection as a means of enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR), providing an opportunity to evaluate the (bio)geochemical behaviour of injected carbon. Here we present noble gas, stable isotope, clumped isotope and gene-sequencing analyses from a CO2-EOR project in the Olla Field (Louisiana, USA). We show that microbial methanogenesis converted as much as 13-19% of the injected CO2 to methane (CH4) and up to an additional 74% of CO2 was dissolved in the groundwater. We calculate an in situ microbial methanogenesis rate from within a natural system of 73-109 millimoles of CH4 per cubic metre (standard temperature and pressure) per year for the Olla Field. Similar geochemical trends in both injected and natural CO2 fields suggest that microbial methanogenesis may be an important subsurface sink of CO2 globally. For CO2 sequestration sites within the environmental window for microbial methanogenesis, conversion to CH4 should be considered in site selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. L. Tyne
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - P. H. Barry
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK ,grid.56466.370000 0004 0504 7510Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA USA
| | - M. Lawson
- grid.421234.20000 0004 1112 1641ExxonMobil Upstream Business Development, Spring, TX USA ,grid.497051.e0000 0004 5997 8548Present Address: Aker BP, Stavanger, Norway
| | - D. J. Byrne
- grid.29172.3f0000 0001 2194 6418CRPG-CNRS, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France
| | - O. Warr
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario Canada
| | - H. Xie
- grid.20861.3d0000000107068890Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - D. J. Hillegonds
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - M. Formolo
- grid.421234.20000 0004 1112 1641ExxonMobil Upstream Integrated Solutions, Spring, TX USA
| | - Z. M. Summers
- ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co., Virginia, NJ USA
| | - B. Skinner
- grid.421234.20000 0004 1112 1641ExxonMobil Upstream Integrated Solutions, Spring, TX USA
| | - J. M. Eiler
- grid.20861.3d0000000107068890Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - C. J. Ballentine
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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24
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Water Salinity as Potential Aid for Improving the Carbon Dioxide Replacement Process’ Effectiveness in Natural Gas Hydrate Reservoirs. Processes (Basel) 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/pr8101298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural gas hydrates represent a valid opportunity to counteract two of the most serious issues that are affecting humanity this century: climate change and the need for new energy sources, due to the fast and constant increase in the population worldwide. The energy that might be produced with methane contained in hydrates is greater than any amount of energy producible with known conventional energy sources; being widespread in all oceans, they would greatly reduce problems and conflicts associated with the monopoly of energy sources. The possibility of extracting methane and simultaneously performing the permanent storage of carbon dioxide makes hydrate an almost carbon-neutral energy source. The main topic of scientific research is to improve the recovery of technologies and guest species replacement strategies in order to make the use of gas hydrates economically advantageous. In the present paper, an experimental study on how salt can alter the formation process of both methane and carbon dioxide hydrate was carried out. The pressure–temperature conditions existing between the two respective equilibrium curves are directly proportional to the effectiveness of the replacement process and thus its feasibility. Eighteen formation tests were realized at three different salinity values: 0, 30 and 37 g/L. Results show that, as the salinity degree increases, the space between CO2 and CH4 formation curves grows. A further aspect highlighted by the tests is how the carbon dioxide formation process tends to assume a very similar trend in all experiments, while curves obtained during methane tests show a similar trend but with some significant differences. Moreover, this tendency became more pronounced with the increase in the salinity degree.
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25
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Wang Y, Wegener G, Ruff SE, Wang F. Methyl/alkyl-coenzyme M reductase-based anaerobic alkane oxidation in archaea. Environ Microbiol 2020; 23:530-541. [PMID: 32367670 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR) has been originally identified to catalyse the final step of the methanogenesis pathway. About 20 years ago anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea (ANME) were discovered that use MCR enzymes to activate methane. ANME thrive at the thermodynamic limit of life, are slow-growing, and in most cases form syntrophic consortia with sulfate-reducing bacteria. Recently, archaea that have the ability to anaerobically oxidize non-methane multi-carbon alkanes such as ethane and n-butane were described in both enrichment cultures and environmental samples. These anaerobic multi-carbon alkane-oxidizing archaea (ANKA) use enzymes homologous to MCR named alkyl-coenzyme M reductase (ACR). Here we review the recent progresses on the diversity, distribution and functioning of both ANME and ANKA by presenting a detailed MCR/ACR-based phylogeny, compare their metabolic pathways and discuss the gaps in our knowledge of physiology of these organisms. To improve our understanding of alkane oxidation in archaea, we identified three directions for future research: (i) expanding cultivation attempts to validate omics-based metabolic models of yet-uncultured organisms, (ii) performing biochemical and structural analyses of key enzymes to understand thermodynamic and steric constraints and (iii) investigating the evolution of anaerobic alkane metabolisms and their impact on biogeochemical cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinzhao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.,State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean & Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Gunter Wegener
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany.,MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - S Emil Ruff
- Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA.,J. Bay Paul Center for Comparative Molecular Biology and Evolution, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Fengping Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.,School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
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26
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Geochemical and Geophysical Monitoring of Hydrocarbon Seepage in the Adriatic Sea. SENSORS 2020; 20:s20051504. [PMID: 32182919 PMCID: PMC7085597 DOI: 10.3390/s20051504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Hydrocarbon seepage is overlooked in the marine environment, mostly due to the lack of high-resolution exploration data. This contribution is about the set-up of a relocatable and cost-effective monitoring system, which was tested on two seepages in the Central Adriatic Sea. The two case studies are an oil spill at a water depth of 10 m and scattered biogenic methane seeps at a water depth of 84 m. Gas plumes in the water column were detected with a multibeam system, tightened to sub-seafloor seismic reflection data. Dissolved benthic fluxes of nutrients, metals and Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC) were measured by in situ deployment of a benthic chamber, which was used also for the first time to collect water samples for hydrocarbons characterization. In addition, the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as major and trace elements were analyzed to provide an estimate of hydrocarbon contamination in the surrounding sediment and to make further inferences on the petroleum system.
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27
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Isotopic evidence for quasi-equilibrium chemistry in thermally mature natural gases. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:3989-3995. [PMID: 32047035 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1906507117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural gas is a key energy resource, and understanding how it forms is important for predicting where it forms in economically important volumes. However, the origin of dry thermogenic natural gas is one of the most controversial topics in petroleum geochemistry, with several differing hypotheses proposed, including kinetic processes (such as thermal cleavage, phase partitioning during migration, and demethylation of aromatic rings) and equilibrium processes (such as transition metal catalysis). The dominant paradigm is that it is a product of kinetically controlled cracking of long-chain hydrocarbons. Here we show that C2+ n-alkane gases (ethane, propane, butane, and pentane) are initially produced by irreversible cracking chemistry, but, as thermal maturity increases, the isotopic distribution of these species approaches thermodynamic equilibrium, either at the conditions of gas formation or during reservoir storage, becoming indistinguishable from equilibrium in the most thermally mature gases. We also find that the pair of CO2 and C1 (methane) exhibit a separate pattern of mutual isotopic equilibrium (generally at reservoir conditions), suggesting that they form a second, quasi-equilibrated population, separate from the C2 to C5 compounds. This conclusion implies that new approaches should be taken to predicting the compositions of natural gases as functions of time, temperature, and source substrate. Additionally, an isotopically equilibrated state can serve as a reference frame for recognizing many secondary processes that may modify natural gases after their formation, such as biodegradation.
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28
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Turner AJ, Frankenberg C, Kort EA. Interpreting contemporary trends in atmospheric methane. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:2805-2813. [PMID: 30733299 PMCID: PMC6386658 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1814297116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Atmospheric methane plays a major role in controlling climate, yet contemporary methane trends (1982-2017) have defied explanation with numerous, often conflicting, hypotheses proposed in the literature. Specifically, atmospheric observations of methane from 1982 to 2017 have exhibited periods of both increasing concentrations (from 1982 to 2000 and from 2007 to 2017) and stabilization (from 2000 to 2007). Explanations for the increases and stabilization have invoked changes in tropical wetlands, livestock, fossil fuels, biomass burning, and the methane sink. Contradictions in these hypotheses arise because our current observational network cannot unambiguously link recent methane variations to specific sources. This raises some fundamental questions: (i) What do we know about sources, sinks, and underlying processes driving observed trends in atmospheric methane? (ii) How will global methane respond to changes in anthropogenic emissions? And (iii), What future observations could help resolve changes in the methane budget? To address these questions, we discuss potential drivers of atmospheric methane abundances over the last four decades in light of various observational constraints as well as process-based knowledge. While uncertainties in the methane budget exist, they should not detract from the potential of methane emissions mitigation strategies. We show that net-zero cost emission reductions can lead to a declining atmospheric burden, but can take three decades to stabilize. Moving forward, we make recommendations for observations to better constrain contemporary trends in atmospheric methane and to provide mitigation support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J Turner
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720;
| | - Christian Frankenberg
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91226;
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109
| | - Eric A Kort
- Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
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29
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McIntosh JC, Hendry MJ, Ballentine C, Haszeldine RS, Mayer B, Etiope G, Elsner M, Darrah TH, Prinzhofer A, Osborn S, Stalker L, Kuloyo O, Lu ZT, Martini A, Lollar BS. A Critical Review of State-of-the-Art and Emerging Approaches to Identify Fracking-Derived Gases and Associated Contaminants in Aquifers. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:1063-1077. [PMID: 30585065 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b05807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
High-volume, hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) is widely applied for natural gas and oil production from shales, coals, or tight sandstone formations in the United States, Canada, and Australia, and is being widely considered by other countries with similar unconventional energy resources. Secure retention of fluids (natural gas, saline formation waters, oil, HVHF fluids) during and after well stimulation is important to prevent unintended environmental contamination, and release of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Here, we critically review state-of-the-art techniques and promising new approaches for identifying oil and gas production from unconventional reservoirs to resolve whether they are the source of fugitive methane and associated contaminants into shallow aquifers. We highlight future research needs and propose a phased program, from generic baseline to highly specific analyses, to inform HVHF and unconventional oil and gas production and impact assessment studies. These approaches may also be applied to broader subsurface exploration and development issues (e.g., groundwater resources), or new frontiers of low-carbon energy alternatives (e.g., subsurface H2 storage, nuclear waste isolation, geologic CO2 sequestration).
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Affiliation(s)
- J C McIntosh
- Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences , University of Arizona , Tucson , Arizona 85721 , United States
| | - M J Hendry
- Department of Geological Sciences , University of Saskatchewan , Saskatoon , Saskatchewan S7N 5E2 , Canada
| | - C Ballentine
- Department of Earth Sciences , University of Oxford , Oxford OX1 3AN United Kingdom
| | - R S Haszeldine
- School of GeoSciences , University of Edinburgh , Edinburgh EH9 3FE United Kingdom
| | - B Mayer
- Department of Geoscience , University of Calgary , Calgary , Alberta T2N 1N4 , Canada
| | - G Etiope
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma 2, Italy, and Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering , Babes-Bolyai University , Cluj-Napoca , Romania
| | - M Elsner
- Chair of Analytical Chemistry and Water Chemistry , Technical University of Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - T H Darrah
- Divisions of Solid Earth Dynamics and Water, Climate and the Environment, School of Earth Sciences , Ohio State University , Columbus , Ohio 43210 , United States
| | | | - S Osborn
- Department of Geological Sciences , California State Polytechnic University , Pomona , California 91768 , United States
| | - L Stalker
- CSIRO Energy , Kensington , Western Australia 6151 , Australia
| | - O Kuloyo
- Department of Geoscience , University of Calgary , Calgary , Alberta T2N 1N4 , Canada
| | - Z-T Lu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, CAS Center for Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics , University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei 230026 , China
| | - A Martini
- Department of Geology , Amherst College , Amherst , Massachusetts 01002 , United States
| | - B Sherwood Lollar
- Department of Earth Sciences , University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario M5S 3B1 , Canada
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30
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Yu WJ, Lee JW, Nguyen NL, Rhee SK, Park SJ. The characteristics and comparative analysis of methanotrophs reveal genomic insights into Methylomicrobium sp. enriched from marine sediments. Syst Appl Microbiol 2018; 41:415-426. [DOI: 10.1016/j.syapm.2018.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Revised: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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31
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Ijiri A, Inagaki F, Kubo Y, Adhikari RR, Hattori S, Hoshino T, Imachi H, Kawagucci S, Morono Y, Ohtomo Y, Ono S, Sakai S, Takai K, Toki T, Wang DT, Yoshinaga MY, Arnold GL, Ashi J, Case DH, Feseker T, Hinrichs KU, Ikegawa Y, Ikehara M, Kallmeyer J, Kumagai H, Lever MA, Morita S, Nakamura KI, Nakamura Y, Nishizawa M, Orphan VJ, Røy H, Schmidt F, Tani A, Tanikawa W, Terada T, Tomaru H, Tsuji T, Tsunogai U, Yamaguchi YT, Yoshida N. Deep-biosphere methane production stimulated by geofluids in the Nankai accretionary complex. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaao4631. [PMID: 29928689 PMCID: PMC6007163 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aao4631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Microbial life inhabiting subseafloor sediments plays an important role in Earth's carbon cycle. However, the impact of geodynamic processes on the distributions and carbon-cycling activities of subseafloor life remains poorly constrained. We explore a submarine mud volcano of the Nankai accretionary complex by drilling down to 200 m below the summit. Stable isotopic compositions of water and carbon compounds, including clumped methane isotopologues, suggest that ~90% of methane is microbially produced at 16° to 30°C and 300 to 900 m below seafloor, corresponding to the basin bottom, where fluids in the accretionary prism are supplied via megasplay faults. Radiotracer experiments showed that relatively small microbial populations in deep mud volcano sediments (102 to 103 cells cm-3) include highly active hydrogenotrophic methanogens and acetogens. Our findings indicate that subduction-associated fluid migration has stimulated microbial activity in the mud reservoir and that mud volcanoes may contribute more substantially to the methane budget than previously estimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira Ijiri
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan
- Research and Development Center for Submarine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - Fumio Inagaki
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan
- Research and Development Center for Submarine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
- Research and Development Center for Ocean Drilling Science, JAMSTEC, Yokohama 236-0001, Japan
| | - Yusuke Kubo
- Center for Deep Earth Exploration, JAMSTEC, Yokohama 236-0001, Japan
| | - Rishi R. Adhikari
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Potsdam, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Shohei Hattori
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 226-8502, Japan
| | - Tatsuhiko Hoshino
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan
- Research and Development Center for Submarine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Imachi
- Research and Development Center for Submarine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
- Department of Subsurface Geobiological Analysis and Research, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Kawagucci
- Research and Development Center for Submarine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
- Department of Subsurface Geobiological Analysis and Research, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - Yuki Morono
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan
- Research and Development Center for Submarine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - Yoko Ohtomo
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan
- Research and Development Center for Submarine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - Shuhei Ono
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Sanae Sakai
- Department of Subsurface Geobiological Analysis and Research, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - Ken Takai
- Research and Development Center for Submarine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
- Department of Subsurface Geobiological Analysis and Research, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Toki
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan
| | - David T. Wang
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Marcos Y. Yoshinaga
- MARUM and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, D-28334 Bremen, Germany
| | - Gail L. Arnold
- Center for Geomicrobiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Juichiro Ashi
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0885, Japan
| | - David H. Case
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Tomas Feseker
- MARUM and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, D-28334 Bremen, Germany
| | - Kai-Uwe Hinrichs
- MARUM and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, D-28334 Bremen, Germany
| | - Yojiro Ikegawa
- Civil Engineering Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, Abiko, Chiba 270-1194, Japan
| | - Minoru Ikehara
- Center for Advanced Marine Core Research, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan
| | - Jens Kallmeyer
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Potsdam, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Hidenori Kumagai
- Research and Development Center for Submarine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - Mark A. Lever
- Center for Geomicrobiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Sumito Morita
- Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8567, Japan
| | | | - Yuki Nakamura
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0885, Japan
| | - Manabu Nishizawa
- Department of Subsurface Geobiological Analysis and Research, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - Victoria J. Orphan
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Hans Røy
- Center for Geomicrobiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Frauke Schmidt
- MARUM and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, D-28334 Bremen, Germany
| | - Atsushi Tani
- Department of Earth and Space Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Wataru Tanikawa
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan
- Research and Development Center for Submarine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | | | - Hitoshi Tomaru
- Department of Earth Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
| | - Takeshi Tsuji
- Department of Earth Resources Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
- International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research, Department of Earth Resources Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Urumu Tsunogai
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko T. Yamaguchi
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0885, Japan
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Naohiro Yoshida
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 226-8502, Japan
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
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32
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Son JH, Hanif A, Dhanasekar A, Carlson KH. Colorado Water Watch: real-time groundwater monitoring for possible contamination from oil and gas activities. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2018; 190:138. [PMID: 29442185 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-018-6509-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Currently, only a few states in the USA (e.g., Colorado and Ohio) require mandatory baseline groundwater sampling from nearby groundwater wells prior to drilling a new oil or gas well. Colorado is the first state to regulate groundwater testing before and after drilling, which requires one pre-drilling sample and two additional post-drilling samples within 6-12 months and 5-6 years of drilling. However, the monitoring method is limited to the state's regulatory agency and to ex situ sampling, which offers only a snapshot in time. To overcome the limitations and increase monitoring performance, a new groundwater monitoring system, Colorado Water Watch (CWW), was introduced as a decision-making tool to support the state's regulatory agency and also to provide real-time groundwater quality data to both the industry and the public. The CWW uses simple in situ water quality sensors based on the surrogate sensing technology that employs an event detection system to screen the incoming data in near real-time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Hee Son
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
| | - Asma Hanif
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Ashwin Dhanasekar
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Kenneth H Carlson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
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33
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Sattler
- Corporate Strategic Research, ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company, 1545 Route 22 East, Annandale, New Jersey 08801, United States
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34
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Nicot JP, Larson T, Darvari R, Mickler P, Slotten M, Aldridge J, Uhlman K, Costley R. Controls on Methane Occurrences in Shallow Aquifers Overlying the Haynesville Shale Gas Field, East Texas. GROUND WATER 2017; 55:443-454. [PMID: 28102897 DOI: 10.1111/gwat.12500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the source of dissolved methane in drinking-water aquifers is critical for assessing potential contributions from hydraulic fracturing in shale plays. Shallow groundwater in the Texas portion of the Haynesville Shale area (13,000 km2 ) was sampled (70 samples) for methane and other dissolved light alkanes. Most samples were derived from the fresh water bearing Wilcox formations and show little methane except in a localized cluster of 12 water wells (17% of total) in a approximately 30 × 30 km2 area in Southern Panola County with dissolved methane concentrations less than 10 mg/L. This zone of elevated methane is spatially associated with the termination of an active fault system affecting the entire sedimentary section, including the Haynesville Shale at a depth more than 3.5 km, and with shallow lignite seams of Lower Wilcox age at a depth of 100 to 230 m. The lignite spatial extension overlaps with the cluster. Gas wetness and methane isotope compositions suggest a mixed microbial and thermogenic origin with contribution from lignite beds and from deep thermogenic reservoirs that produce condensate in most of the cluster area. The pathway for methane from the lignite and deeper reservoirs is then provided by the fault system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Philippe Nicot
- Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 10100 Burnet Road, Austin, TX
| | - Toti Larson
- Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 10100 Burnet Road, Austin, TX
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 2305 Speedway, Austin, TX
| | - Roxana Darvari
- Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 10100 Burnet Road, Austin, TX
| | - Patrick Mickler
- Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 10100 Burnet Road, Austin, TX
| | | | | | - Kristine Uhlman
- Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 10100 Burnet Road, Austin, TX
| | - Ruth Costley
- Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 10100 Burnet Road, Austin, TX
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35
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McMahon PB, Barlow JRB, Engle MA, Belitz K, Ging PB, Hunt AG, Jurgens BC, Kharaka YK, Tollett RW, Kresse TM. Methane and Benzene in Drinking-Water Wells Overlying the Eagle Ford, Fayetteville, and Haynesville Shale Hydrocarbon Production Areas. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:6727-6734. [PMID: 28562061 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b00746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Water wells (n = 116) overlying the Eagle Ford, Fayetteville, and Haynesville Shale hydrocarbon production areas were sampled for chemical, isotopic, and groundwater-age tracers to investigate the occurrence and sources of selected hydrocarbons in groundwater. Methane isotopes and hydrocarbon gas compositions indicate most of the methane in the wells was biogenic and produced by the CO2 reduction pathway, not from thermogenic shale gas. Two samples contained methane from the fermentation pathway that could be associated with hydrocarbon degradation based on their co-occurrence with hydrocarbons such as ethylbenzene and butane. Benzene was detected at low concentrations (<0.15 μg/L), but relatively high frequencies (2.4-13.3% of samples), in the study areas. Eight of nine samples containing benzene had groundwater ages >2500 years, indicating the benzene was from subsurface sources such as natural hydrocarbon migration or leaking hydrocarbon wells. One sample contained benzene that could be from a surface release associated with hydrocarbon production activities based on its age (10 ± 2.4 years) and proximity to hydrocarbon wells. Groundwater travel times inferred from the age-data indicate decades or longer may be needed to fully assess the effects of potential subsurface and surface releases of hydrocarbons on the wells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter B McMahon
- U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Water Science Center, Denver Federal Center, Bldg 53, MS 415, Denver, Colorado 80225, United States
| | - Jeannie R B Barlow
- U.S. Geological Survey, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, 308 South Airport Road, Jackson, Mississippi 39208, United States
| | - Mark A Engle
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Energy Resources Science Center, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso , El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Kenneth Belitz
- U.S. Geological Survey, New England Water Science Center, 10 Bearfoot Road, Northboro, Massachusetts 01532, United States
| | - Patricia B Ging
- U.S. Geological Survey, Texas Water Science Center, 1505 Ferguson Lane, Austin, Texas 78754, United States
| | - Andrew G Hunt
- Crustal Geophysics and 17 Geochemistry Science Center, Denver Federal Center, Bldg 95, MS 963, Denver, Colorado 80225, United States
| | - Bryant C Jurgens
- U.S. Geological Survey, California Water Science Center, 6000 J Street, Placer Hall, Sacramento, California 95819, United States
| | - Yousif K Kharaka
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Research Program, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Roland W Tollett
- U.S. Geological Survey, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, 3095 West California, Ruston, Louisiana 71270, United States
| | - Timothy M Kresse
- U.S. Geological Survey, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, 401 Hardin Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 72211, United States
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Immiscible hydrocarbon fluids in the deep carbon cycle. Nat Commun 2017; 8:15798. [PMID: 28604740 PMCID: PMC5472781 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The cycling of carbon between Earth's surface and interior governs the long-term habitability of the planet. But how carbon migrates in the deep Earth is not well understood. In particular, the potential role of hydrocarbon fluids in the deep carbon cycle has long been controversial. Here we show that immiscible isobutane forms in situ from partial transformation of aqueous sodium acetate at 300 °C and 2.4–3.5 GPa and that over a broader range of pressures and temperatures theoretical predictions indicate that high pressure strongly opposes decomposition of isobutane, which may possibly coexist in equilibrium with silicate mineral assemblages. These results complement recent experimental evidence for immiscible methane-rich fluids at 600–700 °C and 1.5–2.5 GPa and the discovery of methane-rich fluid inclusions in metasomatized ophicarbonates at peak metamorphic conditions. Consequently, a variety of immiscible hydrocarbon fluids might facilitate carbon transfer in the deep carbon cycle. Carbon migration in the deep Earth is still not fully understood. Here, the authors show that immiscible isobutane forms in situ from transformation of aqueous sodium acetate at 300 °C and 2.4–3.5 GPa, indicating that hydrocarbon fluids may play a major role in carbon transfer in the deep carbon cycle.
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Currell M, Banfield D, Cartwright I, Cendón DI. Geochemical indicators of the origins and evolution of methane in groundwater: Gippsland Basin, Australia. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 24:13168-13183. [PMID: 27497852 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-7290-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent expansion of shale and coal seam gas production worldwide has increased the need for geochemical studies in aquifers near gas deposits, to determine processes impacting groundwater quality and better understand the origins and behavior of dissolved hydrocarbons. We determined dissolved methane concentrations (n = 36) and δ13C and δ2H values (n = 31) in methane and groundwater from the 46,000-km2 Gippsland Basin in southeast Australia. The basin contains important water supply aquifers and is a potential target for future unconventional gas development. Dissolved methane concentrations ranged from 0.0035 to 30 mg/L (median = 8.3 mg/L) and were significantly higher in the deep Lower Tertiary Aquifer (median = 19 mg/L) than the shallower Upper Tertiary Aquifer (median = 3.45 mg/L). Groundwater δ13CDIC values ranged from -26.4 to -0.4 ‰ and were generally higher in groundwater with high methane concentrations (mean δ13CDIC = -9.5 ‰ for samples with >3 mg/L CH4 vs. -16.2 ‰ in all others), which is consistent with bacterial methanogenesis. Methane had δ13CCH4 values of -97.5 to -31.8 ‰ and δ2HCH4 values of -391 to -204 ‰ that were also consistent with bacterial methane, excluding one site with δ13CCH4 values of -31.8 to -37.9 ‰, where methane may have been thermogenic. Methane from different regions and aquifers had distinctive stable isotope values, indicating differences in the substrate and/or methanogenesis mechanism. Methane in the Upper Tertiary Aquifer in Central Gippsland had lower δ13CCH4 (-83.7 to -97.5 ‰) and δ2HCH4 (-236 to -391 ‰) values than in the deeper Lower Tertiary Aquifer (δ13CCH4 = -45.8 to -66.2 ‰ and δ2HCH4 = -204 to -311 ‰). The particularly low δ13CCH4 values in the former group may indicate methanogenesis at least partly through carbonate reduction. In deeper groundwater, isotopic values were more consistent with acetate fermentation. Not all methane at a given depth and location is interpreted as being necessarily produced in situ. We propose that high dissolved sulphate concentrations in combination with high methane concentrations can indicate gas resulting from contamination and/or rapid migration as opposed to in situ bacterial production or long-term migration. Isotopes of methane and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) serve as further lines of evidence to distinguish methane sources. The study demonstrates the value of isotopic characterisation of groundwater including dissolved gases in basins containing hydrocarbons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Currell
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, 376-392 Swanston St, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
| | - Dominic Banfield
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, 376-392 Swanston St, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Ian Cartwright
- School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Dioni I Cendón
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW, Australia
- Connected Water Initiative, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia
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Mau S, Römer M, Torres ME, Bussmann I, Pape T, Damm E, Geprägs P, Wintersteller P, Hsu CW, Loher M, Bohrmann G. Widespread methane seepage along the continental margin off Svalbard - from Bjørnøya to Kongsfjorden. Sci Rep 2017; 7:42997. [PMID: 28230189 PMCID: PMC5322355 DOI: 10.1038/srep42997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous articles have recently reported on gas seepage offshore Svalbard, because the gas emission from these Arctic sediments was thought to result from gas hydrate dissociation, possibly triggered by anthropogenic ocean warming. We report on findings of a much broader seepage area, extending from 74° to 79°, where more than a thousand gas discharge sites were imaged as acoustic flares. The gas discharge occurs in water depths at and shallower than the upper edge of the gas hydrate stability zone and generates a dissolved methane plume that is hundreds of kilometer in length. Data collected in the summer of 2015 revealed that 0.02-7.7% of the dissolved methane was aerobically oxidized by microbes and a minor fraction (0.07%) was transferred to the atmosphere during periods of low wind speeds. Most flares were detected in the vicinity of the Hornsund Fracture Zone, leading us to postulate that the gas ascends along this fracture zone. The methane discharges on bathymetric highs characterized by sonic hard grounds, whereas glaciomarine and Holocene sediments in the troughs apparently limit seepage. The large scale seepage reported here is not caused by anthropogenic warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Mau
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Str., 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - M Römer
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Str., 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - M E Torres
- College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, 104 Ocean Admin Building, Corvallis, Oregon 97331-5503, USA
| | - I Bussmann
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - T Pape
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Str., 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - E Damm
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - P Geprägs
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Str., 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - P Wintersteller
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Str., 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - C-W Hsu
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Str., 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - M Loher
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Str., 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - G Bohrmann
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Str., 28359 Bremen, Germany
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Kolesnikov AY, Saul JM, Kutcherov VG. Chemistry of Hydrocarbons Under Extreme Thermobaric Conditions. ChemistrySelect 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.201601123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anton Yu. Kolesnikov
- Department of Physics; Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas; Leninsky Prospect, 65 119991 Moscow Russia
| | | | - Vladimir G. Kutcherov
- Department of Energy Technology; Royal Institute of Technology; Brinellvägen, 68 100 44 Stockholm Sweden
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Moro D, Valdrè G, Mesto E, Scordari F, Lacalamita M, Ventura GD, Bellatreccia F, Scirè S, Schingaro E. Hydrocarbons in phlogopite from Kasenyi kamafugitic rocks (SW Uganda): cross-correlated AFM, confocal microscopy and Raman imaging. Sci Rep 2017; 7:40663. [PMID: 28098185 PMCID: PMC5241660 DOI: 10.1038/srep40663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
This study presents a cross-correlated surface and near surface investigation of two phlogopite polytypes from Kasenyi kamafugitic rocks (SW Uganda) by means of advanced Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), confocal microscopy and Raman micro-spectroscopy. AFM revealed comparable nanomorphology and electrostatic surface potential for the two mica polytypes. A widespread presence of nano-protrusions located on the mica flake surface was also observed, with an aspect ratio (maximum height/maximum width) from 0.01 to 0.09. Confocal microscopy showed these features to range from few nm to several μm in dimension, and shapes from perfectly circular to ellipsoidic and strongly elongated. Raman spectra collected across the bubbles showed an intense and convolute absorption in the range 3000–2800 cm−1, associated with weaker bands at 1655, 1438 and 1297 cm−1, indicating the presence of fluid inclusions consisting of aliphatic hydrocarbons, alkanes and cycloalkanes, with minor amounts of oxygenated compounds, such as carboxylic acids. High-resolution Raman images provided evidence that these hydrocarbons are confined within the bubbles. This work represents the first direct evidence that phlogopite, a common rock-forming mineral, may be a possible reservoir for hydrocarbons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Moro
- Università di Bologna, Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Piazza di Porta S. Donato 1, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Valdrè
- Università di Bologna, Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Piazza di Porta S. Donato 1, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Ernesto Mesto
- Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geoambientali, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Fernando Scordari
- Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geoambientali, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Maria Lacalamita
- Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geoambientali, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Della Ventura
- Università Roma Tre, Dipartimento di Scienze, Largo S. Leonardo Murialdo 1, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Fabio Bellatreccia
- Università Roma Tre, Dipartimento di Scienze, Largo S. Leonardo Murialdo 1, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Salvatore Scirè
- Università degli Studi di Catania, Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Emanuela Schingaro
- Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geoambientali, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
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Blaser M, Conrad R. Stable carbon isotope fractionation as tracer of carbon cycling in anoxic soil ecosystems. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2016; 41:122-129. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2016.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2016] [Revised: 06/29/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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Magyar PM, Orphan VJ, Eiler JM. Measurement of rare isotopologues of nitrous oxide by high-resolution multi-collector mass spectrometry. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2016; 30:1923-1940. [PMID: 27501428 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.7671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Revised: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/18/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Bulk and position-specific stable isotope characterization of nitrous oxide represents one of the most powerful tools for identifying its environmental sources and sinks. Constraining (14) N(15) N(18) O and (15) N(14) N(18) O will add two new dimensions to our ability to uniquely fingerprint N2 O sources. METHODS We describe a technique to measure six singly and doubly substituted isotopic variants of N2 O, constraining the values of δ(15) N, δ(18) O, ∆(17) O, (15) N site preference, and the clumped isotopomers (14) N(15) N(18) O and (15) N(14) N(18) O. The technique uses a Thermo MAT 253 Ultra, a high-resolution multi-collector gas source isotope ratio mass spectrometer. It requires 8-10 hours per sample and ~10 micromoles or more of pure N2 O. RESULTS We demonstrate the precision and accuracy of these measurements by analyzing N2 O brought to equilibrium in its position-specific and clumped isotopic composition by heating in the presence of a catalyst. Finally, an illustrative analysis of biogenic N2 O from a denitrifying bacterium suggests that its clumped isotopic composition is controlled by kinetic isotope effects in N2 O production. CONCLUSIONS We developed a method for measuring six isotopic variants of N2 O and tested it with analyses of biogenic N2 O. The added isotopic constraints provided by these measurements will enhance our ability to apportion N2 O sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M Magyar
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Victoria J Orphan
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - John M Eiler
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
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Abstract
High precision measurements of molecules containing more than one heavy isotope may provide novel constraints on element cycles in nature. These so-called clumped isotope signatures are reported relative to the random (stochastic) distribution of heavy isotopes over all available isotopocules of a molecule, which is the conventional reference. When multiple indistinguishable atoms of the same element are present in a molecule, this reference is calculated from the bulk (≈average) isotopic composition of the involved atoms. We show here that this referencing convention leads to apparent negative clumped isotope anomalies (anti-clumping) when the indistinguishable atoms originate from isotopically different populations. Such statistical clumped isotope anomalies must occur in any system where two or more indistinguishable atoms of the same element, but with different isotopic composition, combine in a molecule. The size of the anti-clumping signal is closely related to the difference of the initial isotope ratios of the indistinguishable atoms that have combined. Therefore, a measured statistical clumped isotope anomaly, relative to an expected (e.g. thermodynamical) clumped isotope composition, may allow assessment of the heterogeneity of the isotopic pools of atoms that are the substrate for formation of molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie A. Huber
- Josephine Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
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45
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Inagaki F, Hinrichs KU, Kubo Y, Bowles MW, Heuer VB, Hong WL, Hoshino T, Ijiri A, Imachi H, Ito M, Kaneko M, Lever MA, Lin YS, Methé BA, Morita S, Morono Y, Tanikawa W, Bihan M, Bowden SA, Elvert M, Glombitza C, Gross D, Harrington GJ, Hori T, Li K, Limmer D, Liu CH, Murayama M, Ohkouchi N, Ono S, Park YS, Phillips SC, Prieto-Mollar X, Purkey M, Riedinger N, Sanada Y, Sauvage J, Snyder G, Susilawati R, Takano Y, Tasumi E, Terada T, Tomaru H, Trembath-Reichert E, Wang DT, Yamada Y. DEEP BIOSPHERE. Exploring deep microbial life in coal-bearing sediment down to ~2.5 km below the ocean floor. Science 2015. [PMID: 26206933 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaa6882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Microbial life inhabits deeply buried marine sediments, but the extent of this vast ecosystem remains poorly constrained. Here we provide evidence for the existence of microbial communities in ~40° to 60°C sediment associated with lignite coal beds at ~1.5 to 2.5 km below the seafloor in the Pacific Ocean off Japan. Microbial methanogenesis was indicated by the isotopic compositions of methane and carbon dioxide, biomarkers, cultivation data, and gas compositions. Concentrations of indigenous microbial cells below 1.5 km ranged from <10 to ~10(4) cells cm(-3). Peak concentrations occurred in lignite layers, where communities differed markedly from shallower subseafloor communities and instead resembled organotrophic communities in forest soils. This suggests that terrigenous sediments retain indigenous community members tens of millions of years after burial in the seabed.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Inagaki
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan. Research and Development Center for Marine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - K-U Hinrichs
- MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, D-28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Y Kubo
- Center for Deep-Earth Exploration, JAMSTEC, Yokohama 236-0061, Japan. Research and Development Center for Ocean Drilling Science, JAMSTEC, Yokohama 236-0001, Japan
| | - M W Bowles
- MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, D-28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - V B Heuer
- MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, D-28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - W-L Hong
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - T Hoshino
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan. Research and Development Center for Marine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - A Ijiri
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan. Research and Development Center for Marine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - H Imachi
- Research and Development Center for Marine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan. Department of Subsurface Geobiological Analysis and Research, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - M Ito
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan. Research and Development Center for Marine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - M Kaneko
- Research and Development Center for Marine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan. Department of Biogeochemistry, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - M A Lever
- Center for Geomicrobiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Y-S Lin
- MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, D-28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - B A Methé
- Department of Environmental Genomics, J. Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - S Morita
- Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8567, Japan
| | - Y Morono
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan. Research and Development Center for Marine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - W Tanikawa
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan. Research and Development Center for Marine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - M Bihan
- Department of Environmental Genomics, J. Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - S A Bowden
- Department of Geology and Petroleum Geology, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB2A 3UE, UK
| | - M Elvert
- MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, D-28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - C Glombitza
- Center for Geomicrobiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - D Gross
- Department of Applied Geosciences and Geophysics, Montanuniversität, 8700 Leoben, Austria
| | - G J Harrington
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - T Hori
- Environmental Management Research Institute, AIST, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8569, Japan
| | - K Li
- Department of Environmental Genomics, J. Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - D Limmer
- Department of Geology and Petroleum Geology, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB2A 3UE, UK
| | - C-H Liu
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China
| | - M Murayama
- Center for Advanced Marine Core Research, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan
| | - N Ohkouchi
- Research and Development Center for Marine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan. Department of Biogeochemistry, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - S Ono
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Y-S Park
- Petroleum and Marine Resources Research Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-350, Korea
| | - S C Phillips
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - X Prieto-Mollar
- MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, D-28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - M Purkey
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - N Riedinger
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Y Sanada
- Center for Deep-Earth Exploration, JAMSTEC, Yokohama 236-0061, Japan. Research and Development Center for Ocean Drilling Science, JAMSTEC, Yokohama 236-0001, Japan
| | - J Sauvage
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882, USA
| | - G Snyder
- Department of Earth Science, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - R Susilawati
- School of Earth Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Y Takano
- Research and Development Center for Marine Resources, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan. Department of Biogeochemistry, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - E Tasumi
- Department of Subsurface Geobiological Analysis and Research, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - T Terada
- Marine Works Japan, Yokosuka 237-0063, Japan
| | - H Tomaru
- Department of Earth Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
| | - E Trembath-Reichert
- Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - D T Wang
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Y Yamada
- Research and Development Center for Ocean Drilling Science, JAMSTEC, Yokohama 236-0001, Japan. Department of Urban Management, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto 615-8540, Japan
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Kietäväinen R, Purkamo L. The origin, source, and cycling of methane in deep crystalline rock biosphere. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:725. [PMID: 26236303 PMCID: PMC4505394 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The emerging interest in using stable bedrock formations for industrial purposes, e.g., nuclear waste disposal, has increased the need for understanding microbiological and geochemical processes in deep crystalline rock environments, including the carbon cycle. Considering the origin and evolution of life on Earth, these environments may also serve as windows to the past. Various geological, chemical, and biological processes can influence the deep carbon cycle. Conditions of CH4 formation, available substrates and time scales can be drastically different from surface environments. This paper reviews the origin, source, and cycling of methane in deep terrestrial crystalline bedrock with an emphasis on microbiology. In addition to potential formation pathways of CH4, microbial consumption of CH4 is also discussed. Recent studies on the origin of CH4 in continental bedrock environments have shown that the traditional separation of biotic and abiotic CH4 by the isotopic composition can be misleading in substrate-limited environments, such as the deep crystalline bedrock. Despite of similarities between Precambrian continental sites in Fennoscandia, South Africa and North America, where deep methane cycling has been studied, common physicochemical properties which could explain the variation in the amount of CH4 and presence or absence of CH4 cycling microbes were not found. However, based on their preferred carbon metabolism, methanogenic microbes appeared to have similar spatial distribution among the different sites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lotta Purkamo
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Espoo, Finland
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin H. Passey
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
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49
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Moritz A, Hélie JF, Pinti DL, Larocque M, Barnetche D, Retailleau S, Lefebvre R, Gélinas Y. Methane baseline concentrations and sources in shallow aquifers from the shale gas-prone region of the St. Lawrence lowlands (Quebec, Canada). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2015; 49:4765-4771. [PMID: 25751654 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b00443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Hydraulic fracturing is becoming an important technique worldwide to recover hydrocarbons from unconventional sources such as shale gas. In Quebec (Canada), the Utica Shale has been identified as having unconventional gas production potential. However, there has been a moratorium on shale gas exploration since 2010. The work reported here was aimed at defining baseline concentrations of methane in shallow aquifers of the St. Lawrence Lowlands and its sources using δ(13)C methane signatures. Since this study was performed prior to large-scale fracturing activities, it provides background data prior to the eventual exploitation of shale gas through hydraulic fracturing. Groundwater was sampled from private (n = 81), municipal (n = 34), and observation (n = 15) wells between August 2012 and May 2013. Methane was detected in 80% of the wells with an average concentration of 3.8 ± 8.8 mg/L, and a range of <0.0006 to 45.9 mg/L. Methane concentrations were linked to groundwater chemistry and distance to the major faults in the studied area. The methane δ(1)(3)C signature of 19 samples was > -50‰, indicating a potential thermogenic source. Localized areas of high methane concentrations from predominantly biogenic sources were found throughout the study area. In several samples, mixing, migration, and oxidation processes likely affected the chemical and isotopic composition of the gases, making it difficult to pinpoint their origin. Energy companies should respect a safe distance from major natural faults in the bedrock when planning the localization of hydraulic fracturation activities to minimize the risk of contaminating the surrounding groundwater since natural faults are likely to be a preferential migration pathway for methane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Moritz
- †GEOTOP and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke West, Montreal, Québec, Canada, H4B 1R6
| | - Jean-Francois Hélie
- ‡GEOTOP and Département des sciences de la Terre et de l'atmosphère, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3C 3P8
| | - Daniele L Pinti
- ‡GEOTOP and Département des sciences de la Terre et de l'atmosphère, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3C 3P8
| | - Marie Larocque
- ‡GEOTOP and Département des sciences de la Terre et de l'atmosphère, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3C 3P8
| | - Diogo Barnetche
- ‡GEOTOP and Département des sciences de la Terre et de l'atmosphère, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3C 3P8
| | - Sophie Retailleau
- ‡GEOTOP and Département des sciences de la Terre et de l'atmosphère, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3C 3P8
| | - René Lefebvre
- §INRS-ETE, 490 de la Couronne, Québec, Québec, Canada, G1K 9A9
| | - Yves Gélinas
- †GEOTOP and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke West, Montreal, Québec, Canada, H4B 1R6
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Wang DT, Gruen DS, Lollar BS, Hinrichs KU, Stewart LC, Holden JF, Hristov AN, Pohlman JW, Morrill PL, Konneke M, Delwiche KB, Reeves EP, Sutcliffe CN, Ritter DJ, Seewald JS, McIntosh JC, Hemond HF, Kubo MD, Cardace D, Hoehler TM, Ono S. Nonequilibrium clumped isotope signals in microbial methane. Science 2015; 348:428-31. [DOI: 10.1126/science.aaa4326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2014] [Accepted: 02/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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