The AGGER project seeks to advance the understanding of factors that indicate and control the sources, generation, composition, stimulation, accumulation, movement, and production potential of petroleum, nuclear fuel resources (e.g., uranium and thorium), and their byproducts as well as the potential for resource recovery from wastes generated during extraction.
The purpose of the AGGER project work is to better understand the generation of energy resources (from source rocks to natural gas-generating microorganisms), the conditions best fit for energy generation (such as the geochemical structure of source rocks), the substrates and microorganisms involved in energy generation, and the potential stimulation of energy resources. Additionally, project staff work to better utilize field and analytical methods to characterize materials involved in the generation of energy and to identify energy production wastes that can be used as economic resources. The AGGER project is currently divided into the 7 research tasks and 3 funded research laboratories detailed below:
- Controls on microbial methanogenesis in shale deposits and strategies for enhancement - Task leads: Elliott Barnhart and Matthew Varonka
- Structure and composition of energy materials - Task lead: Aaron Jubb
- Uranium and thorium in NORM products, byproducts and wastes from energy resource life cycles - Task leads: Bonnie McDevitt and Glenn Jolly
- Spectroscopic investigations of energy materials - Task lead: Aaron Jubb
- Remote sensing techniques to quantify energy resources in wastes at abandoned mines - Task lead: Bernard Hubbard
- Waste as a resource - Task leads: Robert Seal and Matthew Varonka
- Scoping innovative approaches in advanced in-situ and field measurements - Task lead: Aaron Jubb
The following 3 laboratories are associated with the AGGER project:
-
Raman Spectroscopy Laboratory (RSL)
-
Naturally Occurring Radioctive Material Laboratory (NORM)
The data releases listed below are associated with the AGGER project.
Filter Total Items: 16
Total neutron scattering of methane in Niobrara Formation samples at the wet-gas maturity level
Petroleum within unconventional source-rock reservoirs is hosted in organic matter and mineral pore space as well as in voids and microfractures. Recent work has shown that for source-rock reservoirs in the dry gas window, significant portions of methane (CH4), the main component of petroleum at elevated maturities, can be stored within fine organic matter porosity. However, within reservoirs at l
Evidence for strain induced graphitization across a ductile fault zone
A suite of slate samples collected along a 2 km transect crossing the Lishan Fault in central Taiwan were evaluated to assess the role of ductile strain energy in natural graphitization at greenschist facies metamorphic conditions. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging documents phyllosilicate and quartz replacement textures consistent cleavage development via dissolution-precipitation proces
Carbon and Nitrogen in Sediments from Hg-Contaminated Streams and Lakes in Texas, Virginia, and Tennessee
Sediment samples were collected from mercury-contaminated streams and lakes in Texas, Virginia, and Tennessee and were analyzed for total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN). A portion of the sample was combusted at 550 degrees C for 2 hours prior to analysis to remove the organic carbon and nitrogen, thus giving total inorganic carbon (TIC) and total inorganic nitrogen (TIN). Total organic carbon
Strain induced molecular heterogeneity in ancient sedimentary organic matter mapped at nanoscales using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy
Here we report ultra-high resolution infrared mapping of organic matter functional group distribution in Tasmanites (algal microfossils) from the Upper Devonian Ohio Shale using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy (O-PTIR). O-PTIR is capable of rapidly measuring the vibrational response of samples in situ with ~500-nm spatial resolution, well below the infrared diffraction limit. Our result
Textural occurrence and organic porosity of solid bitumen in shales
This study presents Raman spectroscopic data paired with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to assess solid bitumen composition and porosity development as a function of solid bitumen texture and association with minerals. A series of hydrous pyrolysis experiments (1-103 days, 300-370°C) using a low maturity (0.25% solid bitumen reflectance, BRo), high total organic carbon [(TOC), 14.0 wt. %] New
Absorbance and Fluorescence Excitation-Emission Matrix Data for Produced Waters from Oil and Gas Producing Basins in the United States
Waters co-produced during petroleum extraction are normally considered wastes but are also possible resources, especially in water-stressed regions. Produced waters can be chemically complex. High salinity, naturally occurring radioactive materials, and organic substances derived from the producing formation can complicate treatment processes. Rapid screening methods to characterize produced water
TOC, Reflectance and Raman Data from Eocene Green River Mahogany Zone
Geological models for petroleum generation suggest thermal conversion of oil-prone sedimentary organic matter in the presence of water promotes increased liquid saturate yield, whereas absence of water causes formation of an aromatic, cross-linked solid bitumen residue. To test the influence of exchangeable hydrogen from water, organic-rich (22 wt. percent total organic carbon, TOC) mudrock sample
Data Compiled on historical water use, spatial land disturbance, aquifer disturbance and uranium produced by In Situ Recovery of Uranium from Sandstone Hosted Uranium Deposits in the South Texas Coastal Plain, USA
This data release contains data on historical water use, spatial land disturbance, and spatial aquifer disturbances related to in situ recovery (ISR) uranium extraction per unit of uranium produced. These data were compiled from published and publicly available references including journal articles, government reports, industry reports and company reporting documents for regulatory compliance and
Chemistry Data from the Birney Test Site, Montana, 2018-2020
Data were collected to monitor geochemistry before and after an injection designed to stimulate microbial methanogenesis in the shallow Flowers-Goodale coal bed, near Birney in southeastern Montana. Waters from wells completed in the Flowers-Goodale, Nance, Knobloch, and Terret coalbeds at the Birney Test Site were sampled. Geochemical characterization of the water included non-purgeable dissolved
Microbiology of the Utica Shale
In order to determine the innate microbial community of shale gas reservoirs and how they are impacted by hydraulic fracturing, this study analyzed biomass collected from produced water and rock from hydraulically fractured wells in the Utica Shale. The samples include rock chips from a drill core from one Utica well, produced water from that same Utica well, and produced water from 12 different U
Atomic Force Microscopy-based Infrared Spectroscopy Data within Immature Eagle Ford Shale at the Nanometer-scale
The nanoscale molecular composition of kerogen is a challenging parameter to characterize given the chemical and structural complexity exhibited by this important biopolymer. However, kerogen composition will strongly impact its reactivity and so is a critical parameter to understand petroleum generation processes during kerogen catagenesis. The recent advent of tip-enhanced analytical methods, su
Fluorescence spectroscopy of ancient sedimentary organic matter via confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM)
Fluorescence spectroscopy via confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to analyze ancient sedimentary organic matter, including Tasmanites microfossils in Devonian shale and Gloecapsomorpha prisca (G. prisca) in Ordovician kukersite from North American basins. We examined fluorescence emission as a function of excitation laser wavelength, sample orientation, and with respect to location
The publications listed below are associated with the AGGER project.
Filter Total Items: 23
Mapping ancient sedimentary organic matter molecular structure at nanoscales using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy
Elucidating the molecular structure of sedimentary organic matter (SOM) is key to understanding petroleum generation processes, as well as ancient sedimentary environments. SOM structure is primarily controlled by biogenic source material (e.g., marine vs. terrigenous), depositional conditions, and subsurface thermal history. Additional factors, e.g., strain, may also impact the molecular structur
Authors
Aaron M. Jubb, Martha (Rebecca) Stokes, Ryan J. McAleer, Paul C. Hackley, Eoghan Dillion, Jing Qu
Methanogenic archaea in subsurface coal seams are biogeographically distinct: An analysis of metagenomically-derived mcrA sequences
The production of methane as an end-product of organic matter degradation in the absence of other terminal electron acceptors is common, and has often been studied in environments such as animal guts, soils, and wetlands due to its potency as a greenhouse gas. To date however, the study of the biogeographic distribution of methanogens across coal seam environments has been minimal. Here, we show t
Authors
Bronwyn C Campbell, Paul Greenfield, Se Gong, Elliott Barnhart, David J. Midgley, Ian T. Paulsen, Simon C. George
A methodology to assess the historical environmental footprint of in-situ recovery (ISR) of uranium: A demonstration in the Goliad Sand in the Texas Coastal Plain, USA
In-situ recovery (ISR) has been the only technique used to extract uranium from sandstone-hosted uranium deposits in the Pliocene Goliad Sand in the Texas Coastal Plain. Water plays a crucial role throughout the ISR lifecycle of production and groundwater restoration yet neither the water use nor other environmental footprints have been well documented. The goal of this study is to examine histori
Authors
Tanya J. Gallegos, Annie Scott, Victoria G. Stengel, Andrew Teeple
Subsurface hydrocarbon degradation strategies in low- and high-sulfate coal seam communities identified with activity-based metagenomics
Environmentally relevant metagenomes and BONCAT-FACS derived translationally active metagenomes from Powder River Basin coal seams were investigated to elucidate potential genes and functional groups involved in hydrocarbon degradation to methane in coal seams with high- and low-sulfate levels. An advanced subsurface environmental sampler allowed the establishment of coal-associated microbial comm
Authors
Hannah S. Schweitzer, Heidi J. Smith, Elliott Barnhart, Luke J. McKay, Robin Gerlach, Alfred B. Cunningham, Rex R. Malmstrom, Danielle Goudeau, Matthew W. Fields
In situ enhancement and isotopic labeling of biogenic coalbed methane
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
Authors
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
Activity-based, genome-resolved metagenomics uncovers key populations and pathways involved in subsurface conversions of coal to methane
Microbial metabolisms and interactions that facilitate subsurface conversions of recalcitrant carbon to methane are poorly understood. We deployed an in situ enrichment device in a subsurface coal seam in the Powder River Basin (PRB), USA, and used BONCAT-FACS-Metagenomics to identify translationally active populations involved in methane generation from a variety of coal-derived aromatic hydrocar
Authors
Luke J. McKay, Heidi J. Smith, Elliott Barnhart, Hannah S. Schweitzer, Rex R. Malmstrom, Danielle Goudeau, Matthew W. Fields
Machine learning can assign geologic basin to produced water samples using major ion geochemistry
Understanding the geochemistry of waters produced during petroleum extraction is essential to informing the best treatment and reuse options, which can potentially be optimized for a given geologic basin. Here, we used the US Geological Survey’s National Produced Waters Geochemical Database (PWGD) to determine if major ion chemistry could be used to classify accurately a produced water sample to a
Authors
Jenna L. Shelton, Aaron M. Jubb, Samuel Saxe, Emil D. Attanasi, Alexei Milkov, Mark A Engle, Philip A. Freeman, Christopher Shaffer, Madalyn S. Blondes
Effect of an algal amendment on the microbial conversion of coal to methane at different sulfate concentrations from the Powder River Basin, USA
Biogenic methane is estimated to account for one-fifth of the natural gas worldwide and there is great interest in controlling methane from different sources. Biogenic coalbed methane (CBM) production relies on syntrophic associations between fermentative bacteria and methanogenic archaea to anaerobically degrade recalcitrant coal and produce methanogenic substrates. However, very little is known
Authors
Heidi J. Smith, Hannah S. Schweitzer, Elliott Barnhart, William H. Orem, Robin Gerlach, Matthew W. Fields
Compositional evolution of organic matter in Boquillas Shale across a thermal gradient at the single particle level
The molecular composition of petroliferous organic matter and its compositional evolution throughout thermal maturation provides insight for understanding petroleum generation. This information is critical for understanding hydrocarbon resources in unconventional reservoirs, as source rock organic matter is highly dispersed, in contact with the surrounding mineral matrix, and may occur as multiple
Authors
Justin E. Birdwell, Aaron M. Jubb, Paul C. Hackley, Javin J. Hatcherian
Insights on the characteristics and sources of gas from an underground coal mine using compositional data analysis
Coal mine gas originates from the gas emission zone (GEZ) of the mine, as well as the longwall face and pillars. Gas emissions are controlled directly at the sources using horizontal or vertical boreholes drilled from surface or from the entries in advance of mining, or it is captured from the fractured and caved zones (gob) using ventholes during mining. The rest of the gas, especially that gas t
Authors
C. Özgen Karacan, Josep Antoni Martín-Fernández, Leslie F. Ruppert, Ricardo A. Olea
A review of spatially resolved techniques and applications of organic petrography in shale petroleum systems
This review examines new techniques and applications of organic petrography in source-rock reservoir petroleum systems that have occurred along with development of the global ‘shale revolution’ in energy resources. The review is limited to techniques and instrumentation that provide spatially resolved information, typically at or below microscales, for dispersed organic matter occurring in situ in
Authors
Paul C. Hackley, Aaron M. Jubb, Ryan J. McAleer, Brett J. Valentine, Justin E. Birdwell
Investigating the effects of broad ion beam milling to sedimentary organic matter: Surface flattening or heat-induced aromatization and condensation?
Previous work has proposed transfer of kinetic heat energy from low-energy broad ion beam (BIB) milling causes thermal alteration of sedimentary organic matter, resulting in increases of organic matter reflectance. Whereas, other studies have suggested the organic matter reflectance increase from BIB milling is due to decreased surface roughness. To test if reflectance increases to sedimentary org
Authors
Paul C. Hackley, Aaron M. Jubb, Brett J. Valentine, Javin J. Hatcherian, Jing-Jiang Yu, William K. Podrazky
- Overview
The AGGER project seeks to advance the understanding of factors that indicate and control the sources, generation, composition, stimulation, accumulation, movement, and production potential of petroleum, nuclear fuel resources (e.g., uranium and thorium), and their byproducts as well as the potential for resource recovery from wastes generated during extraction.
The purpose of the AGGER project work is to better understand the generation of energy resources (from source rocks to natural gas-generating microorganisms), the conditions best fit for energy generation (such as the geochemical structure of source rocks), the substrates and microorganisms involved in energy generation, and the potential stimulation of energy resources. Additionally, project staff work to better utilize field and analytical methods to characterize materials involved in the generation of energy and to identify energy production wastes that can be used as economic resources. The AGGER project is currently divided into the 7 research tasks and 3 funded research laboratories detailed below:
- Controls on microbial methanogenesis in shale deposits and strategies for enhancement - Task leads: Elliott Barnhart and Matthew Varonka
- Structure and composition of energy materials - Task lead: Aaron Jubb
- Uranium and thorium in NORM products, byproducts and wastes from energy resource life cycles - Task leads: Bonnie McDevitt and Glenn Jolly
- Spectroscopic investigations of energy materials - Task lead: Aaron Jubb
- Remote sensing techniques to quantify energy resources in wastes at abandoned mines - Task lead: Bernard Hubbard
- Waste as a resource - Task leads: Robert Seal and Matthew Varonka
- Scoping innovative approaches in advanced in-situ and field measurements - Task lead: Aaron Jubb
The following 3 laboratories are associated with the AGGER project:
-
Raman Spectroscopy Laboratory (RSL)
-
Naturally Occurring Radioctive Material Laboratory (NORM)
- Data
The data releases listed below are associated with the AGGER project.
Filter Total Items: 16Total neutron scattering of methane in Niobrara Formation samples at the wet-gas maturity level
Petroleum within unconventional source-rock reservoirs is hosted in organic matter and mineral pore space as well as in voids and microfractures. Recent work has shown that for source-rock reservoirs in the dry gas window, significant portions of methane (CH4), the main component of petroleum at elevated maturities, can be stored within fine organic matter porosity. However, within reservoirs at lEvidence for strain induced graphitization across a ductile fault zone
A suite of slate samples collected along a 2 km transect crossing the Lishan Fault in central Taiwan were evaluated to assess the role of ductile strain energy in natural graphitization at greenschist facies metamorphic conditions. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging documents phyllosilicate and quartz replacement textures consistent cleavage development via dissolution-precipitation procesCarbon and Nitrogen in Sediments from Hg-Contaminated Streams and Lakes in Texas, Virginia, and Tennessee
Sediment samples were collected from mercury-contaminated streams and lakes in Texas, Virginia, and Tennessee and were analyzed for total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN). A portion of the sample was combusted at 550 degrees C for 2 hours prior to analysis to remove the organic carbon and nitrogen, thus giving total inorganic carbon (TIC) and total inorganic nitrogen (TIN). Total organic carbonStrain induced molecular heterogeneity in ancient sedimentary organic matter mapped at nanoscales using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy
Here we report ultra-high resolution infrared mapping of organic matter functional group distribution in Tasmanites (algal microfossils) from the Upper Devonian Ohio Shale using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy (O-PTIR). O-PTIR is capable of rapidly measuring the vibrational response of samples in situ with ~500-nm spatial resolution, well below the infrared diffraction limit. Our resultTextural occurrence and organic porosity of solid bitumen in shales
This study presents Raman spectroscopic data paired with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to assess solid bitumen composition and porosity development as a function of solid bitumen texture and association with minerals. A series of hydrous pyrolysis experiments (1-103 days, 300-370°C) using a low maturity (0.25% solid bitumen reflectance, BRo), high total organic carbon [(TOC), 14.0 wt. %] NewAbsorbance and Fluorescence Excitation-Emission Matrix Data for Produced Waters from Oil and Gas Producing Basins in the United States
Waters co-produced during petroleum extraction are normally considered wastes but are also possible resources, especially in water-stressed regions. Produced waters can be chemically complex. High salinity, naturally occurring radioactive materials, and organic substances derived from the producing formation can complicate treatment processes. Rapid screening methods to characterize produced waterTOC, Reflectance and Raman Data from Eocene Green River Mahogany Zone
Geological models for petroleum generation suggest thermal conversion of oil-prone sedimentary organic matter in the presence of water promotes increased liquid saturate yield, whereas absence of water causes formation of an aromatic, cross-linked solid bitumen residue. To test the influence of exchangeable hydrogen from water, organic-rich (22 wt. percent total organic carbon, TOC) mudrock sampleData Compiled on historical water use, spatial land disturbance, aquifer disturbance and uranium produced by In Situ Recovery of Uranium from Sandstone Hosted Uranium Deposits in the South Texas Coastal Plain, USA
This data release contains data on historical water use, spatial land disturbance, and spatial aquifer disturbances related to in situ recovery (ISR) uranium extraction per unit of uranium produced. These data were compiled from published and publicly available references including journal articles, government reports, industry reports and company reporting documents for regulatory compliance andChemistry Data from the Birney Test Site, Montana, 2018-2020
Data were collected to monitor geochemistry before and after an injection designed to stimulate microbial methanogenesis in the shallow Flowers-Goodale coal bed, near Birney in southeastern Montana. Waters from wells completed in the Flowers-Goodale, Nance, Knobloch, and Terret coalbeds at the Birney Test Site were sampled. Geochemical characterization of the water included non-purgeable dissolvedMicrobiology of the Utica Shale
In order to determine the innate microbial community of shale gas reservoirs and how they are impacted by hydraulic fracturing, this study analyzed biomass collected from produced water and rock from hydraulically fractured wells in the Utica Shale. The samples include rock chips from a drill core from one Utica well, produced water from that same Utica well, and produced water from 12 different UAtomic Force Microscopy-based Infrared Spectroscopy Data within Immature Eagle Ford Shale at the Nanometer-scale
The nanoscale molecular composition of kerogen is a challenging parameter to characterize given the chemical and structural complexity exhibited by this important biopolymer. However, kerogen composition will strongly impact its reactivity and so is a critical parameter to understand petroleum generation processes during kerogen catagenesis. The recent advent of tip-enhanced analytical methods, suFluorescence spectroscopy of ancient sedimentary organic matter via confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM)
Fluorescence spectroscopy via confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to analyze ancient sedimentary organic matter, including Tasmanites microfossils in Devonian shale and Gloecapsomorpha prisca (G. prisca) in Ordovician kukersite from North American basins. We examined fluorescence emission as a function of excitation laser wavelength, sample orientation, and with respect to location - Publications
The publications listed below are associated with the AGGER project.
Filter Total Items: 23Mapping ancient sedimentary organic matter molecular structure at nanoscales using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy
Elucidating the molecular structure of sedimentary organic matter (SOM) is key to understanding petroleum generation processes, as well as ancient sedimentary environments. SOM structure is primarily controlled by biogenic source material (e.g., marine vs. terrigenous), depositional conditions, and subsurface thermal history. Additional factors, e.g., strain, may also impact the molecular structurAuthorsAaron M. Jubb, Martha (Rebecca) Stokes, Ryan J. McAleer, Paul C. Hackley, Eoghan Dillion, Jing QuMethanogenic archaea in subsurface coal seams are biogeographically distinct: An analysis of metagenomically-derived mcrA sequences
The production of methane as an end-product of organic matter degradation in the absence of other terminal electron acceptors is common, and has often been studied in environments such as animal guts, soils, and wetlands due to its potency as a greenhouse gas. To date however, the study of the biogeographic distribution of methanogens across coal seam environments has been minimal. Here, we show tAuthorsBronwyn C Campbell, Paul Greenfield, Se Gong, Elliott Barnhart, David J. Midgley, Ian T. Paulsen, Simon C. GeorgeA methodology to assess the historical environmental footprint of in-situ recovery (ISR) of uranium: A demonstration in the Goliad Sand in the Texas Coastal Plain, USA
In-situ recovery (ISR) has been the only technique used to extract uranium from sandstone-hosted uranium deposits in the Pliocene Goliad Sand in the Texas Coastal Plain. Water plays a crucial role throughout the ISR lifecycle of production and groundwater restoration yet neither the water use nor other environmental footprints have been well documented. The goal of this study is to examine historiAuthorsTanya J. Gallegos, Annie Scott, Victoria G. Stengel, Andrew TeepleSubsurface hydrocarbon degradation strategies in low- and high-sulfate coal seam communities identified with activity-based metagenomics
Environmentally relevant metagenomes and BONCAT-FACS derived translationally active metagenomes from Powder River Basin coal seams were investigated to elucidate potential genes and functional groups involved in hydrocarbon degradation to methane in coal seams with high- and low-sulfate levels. An advanced subsurface environmental sampler allowed the establishment of coal-associated microbial commAuthorsHannah S. Schweitzer, Heidi J. Smith, Elliott Barnhart, Luke J. McKay, Robin Gerlach, Alfred B. Cunningham, Rex R. Malmstrom, Danielle Goudeau, Matthew W. FieldsIn situ enhancement and isotopic labeling of biogenic coalbed methane
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 downholeAuthorsElliott 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. FieldsActivity-based, genome-resolved metagenomics uncovers key populations and pathways involved in subsurface conversions of coal to methane
Microbial metabolisms and interactions that facilitate subsurface conversions of recalcitrant carbon to methane are poorly understood. We deployed an in situ enrichment device in a subsurface coal seam in the Powder River Basin (PRB), USA, and used BONCAT-FACS-Metagenomics to identify translationally active populations involved in methane generation from a variety of coal-derived aromatic hydrocarAuthorsLuke J. McKay, Heidi J. Smith, Elliott Barnhart, Hannah S. Schweitzer, Rex R. Malmstrom, Danielle Goudeau, Matthew W. FieldsMachine learning can assign geologic basin to produced water samples using major ion geochemistry
Understanding the geochemistry of waters produced during petroleum extraction is essential to informing the best treatment and reuse options, which can potentially be optimized for a given geologic basin. Here, we used the US Geological Survey’s National Produced Waters Geochemical Database (PWGD) to determine if major ion chemistry could be used to classify accurately a produced water sample to aAuthorsJenna L. Shelton, Aaron M. Jubb, Samuel Saxe, Emil D. Attanasi, Alexei Milkov, Mark A Engle, Philip A. Freeman, Christopher Shaffer, Madalyn S. BlondesEffect of an algal amendment on the microbial conversion of coal to methane at different sulfate concentrations from the Powder River Basin, USA
Biogenic methane is estimated to account for one-fifth of the natural gas worldwide and there is great interest in controlling methane from different sources. Biogenic coalbed methane (CBM) production relies on syntrophic associations between fermentative bacteria and methanogenic archaea to anaerobically degrade recalcitrant coal and produce methanogenic substrates. However, very little is knownAuthorsHeidi J. Smith, Hannah S. Schweitzer, Elliott Barnhart, William H. Orem, Robin Gerlach, Matthew W. FieldsCompositional evolution of organic matter in Boquillas Shale across a thermal gradient at the single particle level
The molecular composition of petroliferous organic matter and its compositional evolution throughout thermal maturation provides insight for understanding petroleum generation. This information is critical for understanding hydrocarbon resources in unconventional reservoirs, as source rock organic matter is highly dispersed, in contact with the surrounding mineral matrix, and may occur as multipleAuthorsJustin E. Birdwell, Aaron M. Jubb, Paul C. Hackley, Javin J. HatcherianInsights on the characteristics and sources of gas from an underground coal mine using compositional data analysis
Coal mine gas originates from the gas emission zone (GEZ) of the mine, as well as the longwall face and pillars. Gas emissions are controlled directly at the sources using horizontal or vertical boreholes drilled from surface or from the entries in advance of mining, or it is captured from the fractured and caved zones (gob) using ventholes during mining. The rest of the gas, especially that gas tAuthorsC. Özgen Karacan, Josep Antoni Martín-Fernández, Leslie F. Ruppert, Ricardo A. OleaA review of spatially resolved techniques and applications of organic petrography in shale petroleum systems
This review examines new techniques and applications of organic petrography in source-rock reservoir petroleum systems that have occurred along with development of the global ‘shale revolution’ in energy resources. The review is limited to techniques and instrumentation that provide spatially resolved information, typically at or below microscales, for dispersed organic matter occurring in situ inAuthorsPaul C. Hackley, Aaron M. Jubb, Ryan J. McAleer, Brett J. Valentine, Justin E. BirdwellInvestigating the effects of broad ion beam milling to sedimentary organic matter: Surface flattening or heat-induced aromatization and condensation?
Previous work has proposed transfer of kinetic heat energy from low-energy broad ion beam (BIB) milling causes thermal alteration of sedimentary organic matter, resulting in increases of organic matter reflectance. Whereas, other studies have suggested the organic matter reflectance increase from BIB milling is due to decreased surface roughness. To test if reflectance increases to sedimentary orgAuthorsPaul C. Hackley, Aaron M. Jubb, Brett J. Valentine, Javin J. Hatcherian, Jing-Jiang Yu, William K. Podrazky