In situ enhancement and isotopic labeling of biogenic coalbed methane

Elliott Barnhart; Leslie F. Ruppert; Randy Heibert; Heidi J. Smith; Hannah Schweitzer; Arthur Clark; Edwin Weeks; William H. Orem; Matthew S. Varonka; George A. Platt; Jenna L. Shelton; Katherine J Davis; Robert Hyatt; Jennifer C. McIntosh; Kilian Ashley; Shuhei Ono; Anna M. Martini; Keith Hackley; Robin Gerlach; Lee Spangler; Adrienne Phillips; Mark Barry; Alfred B. Cunningham; Matthew W. Fields

doi:10.1021/acs.est.1c05979

In situ enhancement and isotopic labeling of biogenic coalbed methane

Environmental Science and Technology

By: Elliott Barnhart, Leslie F. Ruppert, Randy Heibert, Heidi J. Smith, Hannah Schweitzer, Arthur Clark, Edwin Weeks, William H. Orem, Matthew S. Varonka, George A. Platt, Jenna L. Shelton, Katherine J Davis, Robert Hyatt, Jennifer C. McIntosh, Kilian Ashley, Shuhei Ono, Anna M. Martini, Keith Hackley, Robin Gerlach, Lee Spangler, Adrienne Phillips, Mark Barry, Alfred B. Cunningham, and Matthew W. Fields

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c05979

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Abstract

Subsurface microbial (biogenic) methane production is an important part of the global carbon cycle that has resulted in natural gas accumulations in many coal beds worldwide. Laboratory studies suggest that complex carbon-containing nutrients (e.g., yeast or algae extract) can stimulate methane production, yet the effectiveness of these nutrients within coal beds is unknown. Here, we use downhole monitoring methods in combination with deuterated water (D₂O) and a 200-liter injection of 0.1% yeast extract (YE) to stimulate and isotopically label newly generated methane. A total dissolved gas pressure sensor enabled real-time gas measurements (641 days preinjection and for 478 days postinjection). Downhole samples, collected with subsurface environmental samplers, indicate that methane increased 132% above preinjection levels based on isotopic labeling from D₂O, 108% based on pressure readings, and 183% based on methane measurements 266 days postinjection. Demonstrating that YE enhances biogenic coalbed methane production in situ using multiple novel measurement methods has immediate implications for other field-scale biogenic methane investigations, including in situ methods to detect and track microbial activities related to the methanogenic turnover of recalcitrant carbon in the subsurface.

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Additional publication details
Publication type	Article
Publication Subtype	Journal Article
Title	In situ enhancement and isotopic labeling of biogenic coalbed methane
Series title	Environmental Science and Technology
DOI	10.1021/acs.est.1c05979
Volume	56
Issue	5
Year Published	2022
Language	English
Publisher	ACS Publications
Contributing office(s)	WY-MT Water Science Center
Description	9 p.
First page	3225
Last page	3233
Country	United States
State	Montana
County	Rosebud County
Other Geospatial	Flowers-Goodale coal bed at the Birney Test Site
Google Analytic Metrics	Metrics page