Thursday, September 26th @ 3 pm
Room 200, Oceanography & Physics Building
Or Via Zoom
Elisha Moore
USGS, Reston VA
TITLE:
Biogenic and Radiogenic Energy from Antrim and Pakistani Shale
ABSTRACT:
The deep subsurface, one of the poorest understood segments of the biosphere, is an important part of global biogeochemical cycling and may provide clues to the evolution of life under a low-oxygen, primitive Earth. The expansion of natural gas production in many parts of the world has resulted in many depleted gas wells that have the potential to be used for methanogenesis stimulation or carbon storage. However, little is known about the microbial communities of these deep subsurface environments, which are essential in the production of biogenic gas and long-term carbon sequestration. Additionally, the greenhouse gasses CO2, CH4, and petroleum energy resources are all produced by natural radiolysis of geologic organic matter (OM). The radioactive elements uranium (U) and thorium (Th) are commonly associated with sedimentary OM, however, the extent of radiolytic greenhouse gas production and impact of radioactive elements on the carbon cycle is not known throughout Earth history. Here, we will examine potential biogenic and radiogenic energy production in two different shale systems: the 380 million year old (Ma) Antrim shale with high organic carbon content and methanogenic microbial communities in the northern portion of the Southern Peninsula of Michigan, and 560 Ma Pakistani shale with organic carbon associated with uranium (U) deposits. Both systems offer insight to potential energy production from shales and implications to global biogeochemical cycles.
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