Biological activity in the deep subsurface and the origin of heavy oil

Head, Ian M.; Jones, Dorian P; Larter, Stephen R.

doi:10.1038/nature02134

Cited by 1,103 publications

(757 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…The results show that these microorganisms were apparently specialized, capable of degrading only propane and butane, similar to strain BuS5. This further supports in situ observations reporting that propane and butane appeared to be biologically degraded in oil and gas reservoirs (James and Burns, 1984;Boreham et al, 2001;Head et al, 2003;Larter et al, 2005) and at marine hydrocarbon-rich sites (Orcutt et al, 2010;Quistad and Valentine, 2011), whereas ethane, isobutane and pentane appeared rather resistant to degradation.…”

Section: Growth Tests With Other Hydrocarbonssupporting

confidence: 77%

Anaerobic degradation of propane and butane by sulfate-reducing bacteria enriched from marine hydrocarbon cold seeps

et al. 2012

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The short-chain, non-methane hydrocarbons propane and butane can contribute significantly to the carbon and sulfur cycles in marine environments affected by oil or natural gas seepage. In the present study, we enriched and identified novel propane and butane-degrading sulfate reducers from marine oil and gas cold seeps in the Gulf of Mexico and Hydrate Ridge. The enrichment cultures obtained were able to degrade simultaneously propane and butane, but not other gaseous alkanes. They were cold-adapted, showing highest sulfate-reduction rates between 16 and 20 1C. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene libraries, followed by whole-cell hybridizations with sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes showed that each enrichment culture was dominated by a unique phylotype affiliated with the Desulfosarcina-Desulfococcus cluster within the Deltaproteobacteria. These phylotypes formed a distinct phylogenetic cluster of propane and butane degraders, including sequences from environments associated with hydrocarbon seeps. Incubations with 13 C-labeled substrates, hybridizations with sequence-specific probes and nanoSIMS analyses showed that cells of the dominant phylotypes were the first to become enriched in 13 C, demonstrating that they were directly involved in hydrocarbon degradation. Furthermore, using the nanoSIMS data, carbon assimilation rates were calculated for the dominant cells in each enrichment culture.

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Section: Growth Tests With Other Hydrocarbonssupporting

confidence: 77%

Anaerobic degradation of propane and butane by sulfate-reducing bacteria enriched from marine hydrocarbon cold seeps

et al. 2012

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“…This process is considered to preferentially attack LMWHC with secondary carbon atoms in sub-terminal positions relative to those with tertiary or quaternary sub-terminal carbons (Boreham et al, 2008). Hence, C 3 , and linear C 4 and C 5 -alkanes are typically transformed by hydrocarbon degraders, whereas C 2 and iso-C 4 appear to be less affected or even remain unaltered (Head et al, 2003;Horstad and Larter, 1997;James and Burns, 1984;Kniemeyer et al, 2007;Larter and di Primio, 2005;Stadnitskaia et al, 2006). Typically, anaerobic microbial degradation of wet gas LMWHC (C 2+ ) by electron acceptors other than sulfate (Widdel and Rabus, 2001;Zengler et al, 1999) leads to addition of 13 C-enriched, secondary methane (Milkov and Dzou, 2007).…”

Section: Biological Alterationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Admixture of secondary methane, however, appears ambiguous for Batumi seep gases based on our data set. Secondary methane is released by the biodegradation of hydrocarbons and other organic compounds occurring in sediment intervals spanning from deep reservoirs to the surface (Head et al, 2003;Milkov and Dzou, 2007;Pallasser, 2000;Scott et al, 1994;Seewald, 2003) and was assumed to occur in mud volcano deposits in the Sorokin Trough in the Northeastern Black Sea Stadnitskaia et al, 2008).…”

Section: Biological Alterationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular and isotopic partitioning of low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons during migration and gas hydrate precipitation in deposits of a high-flux seepage site

et al. 2010

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Detailed knowledge of the extent of post-genetic modifications affecting shallow submarine hydrocarbons fueled from the deep subsurface is fundamental for evaluating source and reservoir properties. We investigated gases from a submarine high-flux seepage site in the anoxic Eastern Black Sea in order to elucidate molecular and isotopic alterations of low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons (LMWHC) associated with upward migration through the sediment and precipitation of shallow gas hydrates. For this, nearsurface sediment pressure cores and free gas venting from the seafloor were collected using autoclave technology at the Batumi seep area at 845 m water depth within the gas hydrate stability zone. Vent gas, gas from pressure core degassing, and from hydrate dissociation were strongly dominated by methane (> 99.85 mol.% of ∑[C 1 -C 4 , CO 2 ]). Molecular ratios of LMWHC (C 1 /[C 2 + C 3 ] > 1000) and stable isotopic compositions of methane (δ 13 C = − 53.5‰ V-PDB; D/H around − 175‰ SMOW) indicated predominant microbial methane formation. C 1 /C 2+ ratios and stable isotopic compositions of LMWHC distinguished three gas types prevailing in the seepage area. Vent gas discharged into bottom waters was depleted in methane by > 0.03 mol.% (∑[C 1 -C 4 , CO 2 ]) relative to the other gas types and the virtual lack of 14 C-CH 4 indicated a negligible input of methane from degradation of fresh organic matter. Of all gas types analyzed, vent gas was least affected by molecular fractionation, thus, its origin from the deep subsurface rather than from decomposing hydrates in near-surface sediments is likely. As a result of the anaerobic oxidation of methane, LMWHC in pressure cores in top sediments included smaller methane fractions [0.03 mol.% ∑(C 1 -C 4 , CO 2 )] than gas released from pressure cores of more deeply buried sediments, where the fraction of methane was maximal due to its preferential incorporation in hydrate lattices. No indications for stable carbon isotopic fractionations of methane during hydrate crystallization from vent gas were found. Enrichments of 14 C-CH 4 (1.4 pMC) in short cores relative to lower abundances (max. 0.6 pMC) in gas from long cores and gas hydrates substantiates recent methanogenesis utilizing modern organic matter deposited in top sediments of this high-flux hydrocarbon seep area.

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“…as well as Desulfotomaculum spp. and other [4,10,13,17]. Test liquids with the content of sulfate--reducing bacteria in the solution amounting to 10 3 cells/ml were used in tests.…”

Section: The Procedures Of Efficiency Testing Of Hydrogen Sulfide Inhimentioning

confidence: 99%

Laboratory tests for the application of nitrate-based inhibitor against H₂S formation

Turkiewicz

Falkowicz

Kapusta

2017

drill

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Biological activity in the deep subsurface and the origin of heavy oil

Cited by 1,103 publications

References 59 publications

Anaerobic degradation of propane and butane by sulfate-reducing bacteria enriched from marine hydrocarbon cold seeps

Anaerobic degradation of propane and butane by sulfate-reducing bacteria enriched from marine hydrocarbon cold seeps

Molecular and isotopic partitioning of low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons during migration and gas hydrate precipitation in deposits of a high-flux seepage site

Laboratory tests for the application of nitrate-based inhibitor against H₂S formation

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