J.K. Pearce , H. Hofmann , K. Baublys , D.I. Cendón , S.D. Golding , S.J. Herbert , Z. Bhebhe , A. Nguyen , P. Hayes
{"title":"Geochemical tracers associated with methane in aquifers overlying a coal seam gas reservoir","authors":"J.K. Pearce , H. Hofmann , K. Baublys , D.I. Cendón , S.D. Golding , S.J. Herbert , Z. Bhebhe , A. Nguyen , P. Hayes","doi":"10.1016/j.coal.2024.104535","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Understanding inter-aquifer connectivity or leakage of greenhouse gases and groundwater to aquifers overlying gas reservoirs is important for environmental protection and social licence to operate. Australia's Great Artesian Basin (GAB) is the largest artesian groundwater system in the world with groundwater extracted for agriculture, livestock, mines, energy, private or town water supply. Microbial coal seam gas (CSG) and production water are also extracted from the GAB. Here a range of groundwater tracers is used to investigate the potential for gas and groundwater connectivity between the CSG reservoir and aquifers.</p><p>The GAB aquifer and alluvium contained a range of methane concentrations (0.001 to 2100 mg/L) that exhibit an increase with depth and δ<sup>13</sup>C-CH<sub>4</sub>. Aquifer and alluvium groundwater <sup>87</sup>Sr/<sup>86</sup>Sr were in the range 0.7042 to 0.7082. CSG production waters however had non-radiogenic, distinctive <sup>87</sup>Sr/<sup>86</sup>Sr signatures <0.7036, indicating a lack of significant groundwater leakage. One gassy aquifer bore with 160 mg/L methane conversely has <sup>87</sup>Sr/<sup>86</sup>Sr, δ<sup>13</sup>C-CH<sub>4</sub>, δ<sup>2</sup>H-CH<sub>4</sub> and δ<sup>13</sup>C-DIC values overlapping the CSG waters. In several aquifers δ<sup>34</sup>S-SO<sub>4</sub> and δ<sup>18</sup>O-SO<sub>4</sub> are sourced from windblown surface salts of inland Australian playa lakes in recharge waters. Bacterial sulphate reduction is additionally occurring in a regional aquifer. Cosmogenic isotopes and tritium show recent recharge and mixing with older groundwaters in several shallow aquifers.</p><p>Groundwater and gas signatures indicate that leakage of groundwater and methane from the CSG reservoir was not occurring in the majority of areas investigated here. Methane was consistent with in situ generation in shallow GAB aquifers by primary microbial CO<sub>2</sub> reduction or acetate fermentation. Connectivity of one alluvial bore and the underlying GAB aquifer could not be completely ruled out. Separately, one gassy Springbok GAB aquifer bore is either connected to the underlying CSG gas reservoir, or has in situ secondary microbial CO<sub>2</sub> reduction producing methane from interbedded coal within the aquifer. This study is relevant to other basins in Australia and internationally where gas is observed in aquifers that overly conventional, unconventional or coal seam gas reservoirs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":13864,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Coal Geology","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 104535"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166516224000922/pdfft?md5=79a21be44647689570498e729acffea5&pid=1-s2.0-S0166516224000922-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Coal Geology","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166516224000922","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ENERGY & FUELS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Understanding inter-aquifer connectivity or leakage of greenhouse gases and groundwater to aquifers overlying gas reservoirs is important for environmental protection and social licence to operate. Australia's Great Artesian Basin (GAB) is the largest artesian groundwater system in the world with groundwater extracted for agriculture, livestock, mines, energy, private or town water supply. Microbial coal seam gas (CSG) and production water are also extracted from the GAB. Here a range of groundwater tracers is used to investigate the potential for gas and groundwater connectivity between the CSG reservoir and aquifers.
The GAB aquifer and alluvium contained a range of methane concentrations (0.001 to 2100 mg/L) that exhibit an increase with depth and δ13C-CH4. Aquifer and alluvium groundwater 87Sr/86Sr were in the range 0.7042 to 0.7082. CSG production waters however had non-radiogenic, distinctive 87Sr/86Sr signatures <0.7036, indicating a lack of significant groundwater leakage. One gassy aquifer bore with 160 mg/L methane conversely has 87Sr/86Sr, δ13C-CH4, δ2H-CH4 and δ13C-DIC values overlapping the CSG waters. In several aquifers δ34S-SO4 and δ18O-SO4 are sourced from windblown surface salts of inland Australian playa lakes in recharge waters. Bacterial sulphate reduction is additionally occurring in a regional aquifer. Cosmogenic isotopes and tritium show recent recharge and mixing with older groundwaters in several shallow aquifers.
Groundwater and gas signatures indicate that leakage of groundwater and methane from the CSG reservoir was not occurring in the majority of areas investigated here. Methane was consistent with in situ generation in shallow GAB aquifers by primary microbial CO2 reduction or acetate fermentation. Connectivity of one alluvial bore and the underlying GAB aquifer could not be completely ruled out. Separately, one gassy Springbok GAB aquifer bore is either connected to the underlying CSG gas reservoir, or has in situ secondary microbial CO2 reduction producing methane from interbedded coal within the aquifer. This study is relevant to other basins in Australia and internationally where gas is observed in aquifers that overly conventional, unconventional or coal seam gas reservoirs.
期刊介绍:
The International Journal of Coal Geology deals with fundamental and applied aspects of the geology and petrology of coal, oil/gas source rocks and shale gas resources. The journal aims to advance the exploration, exploitation and utilization of these resources, and to stimulate environmental awareness as well as advancement of engineering for effective resource management.