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Rapid microbial methanogenesis during CO2 storage in hydrocarbon reservoirs

Author

Listed:
  • R. L. Tyne

    (University of Oxford)

  • P. H. Barry

    (University of Oxford
    Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

  • M. Lawson

    (ExxonMobil Upstream Business Development
    Aker BP)

  • D. J. Byrne

    (Université de Lorraine)

  • O. Warr

    (University of Toronto)

  • H. Xie

    (California Institute of Technology)

  • D. J. Hillegonds

    (University of Oxford)

  • M. Formolo

    (ExxonMobil Upstream Integrated Solutions)

  • Z. M. Summers

    (ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co.)

  • B. Skinner

    (ExxonMobil Upstream Integrated Solutions)

  • J. M. Eiler

    (California Institute of Technology)

  • C. J. Ballentine

    (University of Oxford)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • R. L. Tyne & P. H. Barry & M. Lawson & D. J. Byrne & O. Warr & H. Xie & D. J. Hillegonds & M. Formolo & Z. M. Summers & B. Skinner & J. M. Eiler & C. J. Ballentine, 2021. "Rapid microbial methanogenesis during CO2 storage in hydrocarbon reservoirs," Nature, Nature, vol. 600(7890), pages 670-674, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:600:y:2021:i:7890:d:10.1038_s41586-021-04153-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04153-3
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Castle, Jennifer L. & Hendry, David F., 2024. "Five sensitive intervention points to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, illustrated by the UK," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    2. Cathrine Hellerschmied & Johanna Schritter & Niels Waldmann & Artur B. Zaduryan & Lydia Rachbauer & Kerstin E. Scherr & Anitha Andiappan & Stephan Bauer & Markus Pichler & Andreas P. Loibner, 2024. "Hydrogen storage and geo-methanation in a depleted underground hydrocarbon reservoir," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 9(3), pages 333-344, March.
    3. Dhamu, Vikas & Mengqi, Xiao & Qureshi, M Fahed & Yin, Zhenyuan & Jana, Amiya K. & Linga, Praveen, 2024. "Evaluating CO2 hydrate kinetics in multi-layered sediments using experimental and machine learning approach: Applicable to CO2 sequestration," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
    4. O. Warr & C. J. Ballentine & T. C. Onstott & D. M. Nisson & T. L. Kieft & D. J. Hillegonds & B. Sherwood Lollar, 2022. "86Kr excess and other noble gases identify a billion-year-old radiogenically-enriched groundwater system," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Huping Wang & Zhao Wang & Haikui Yin & Chao Jin & Xiaogang Zhang & Langtao Liu, 2023. "CO 2 Flow Characteristics in Macro-Scale Coal Sample: Effect of CO 2 Injection Pressure and Buried Depth," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-20, May.
    6. Chen, Yifeng & Song, Shuailong & Li, Ning & Wu, Jian & Lu, Xiaohua & Ji, Xiaoyan, 2022. "Developing hybrid 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide/titanium dioxide/water absorbent for CO2 separation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 326(C).
    7. Liyun An & Xinwu Liu & Jianwei Wang & Jinbo Xu & Xiaoli Chen & Xiaonan Liu & Bingxin Hu & Yong Nie & Xiao-Lei Wu, 2024. "Global diversity and ecological functions of viruses inhabiting oil reservoirs," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-16, December.
    8. Safari, Zohreh & Fatehi, Rouhollah & Azin, Reza, 2024. "Developing a numerical model for microbial methanation in a depleted hydrocarbon reservoir," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).

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