In light of growing demands for cleaner energy alternatives, exploration into novel ways of natural gas production is imperative. Two mechanisms of natural gas generation exist within natural reservoirs: thermogenic and biogenic methanogenesis. Investigation into the biogenic stimulation of natural gas from microbial consortiums (biomethanogenesis) represents one approach to addressing availability in shale reservoirs.
My proposed research initiative will focus on determining the effectiveness of using supercritical/liquid CO2 injections to enhance the biogenic production of natural gas in shale reservoirs. The hypothesis being tested is that supercritical fluid CO2 will enhance porosity of shale reservoirs and thus provide greater access to biodegradable organic matter for microbial methanogenesis. The major objectives would be to: (1) determine the interactions of liquid CO2 with different shale reservoirs of varying composition; (2) determine if these interactions can successfully enhance access to and release of biodegradable organic compounds within the rock; (3) identify the types of organic compounds that are subsequently degraded by anaerobic microbial populations; and (4) determine whether the CO2-extracted compounds have a solely stimulatory effect, or to some degree inhibit the rate and yield of microbial methanogenesis over time.
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