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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCBM Natural Gas a Renewable Resource, Findings of the Alberta Research Council, August 2008a FOWLER OIL & GAS CORPORATION Alaska Office CBM NATURAL GAS A RENEWABLE RESOURCE? FINDINGS OF THE ALBERTA RESEARCH COUNCIL August 2008 Wells Fargo Building © 705 S Bailey Street, Suite 204 PO Box 2056 Palmer Alaska 99645 Tel: +1-907-745-6638 Fax: +1-707-313-2541 Email: RnfowlerS7@gmail.com A Privately Owned Company Website: www.Fowleroilandgasalaska.com Sustainable Coalbed Methane Production: Microbial Regeneration of CBM Reservoirs and CO, Conversion to Methane The Challenge in order for Alberta and Canada to meet greenhouse gas reduction requirements. ew Cleaner energy technol n ifs Must be developed and implemented. To this end the Alberta Research Council (ARC) is developing and commercializing the geological storage of CO,. working with partners in a Canadian consortium called CANiSTORE. A research project within this program is the microbial regeneration of coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs and conversion of stored CO, to methane. This technology provides an approach to sustainable CBM production The Opportunities ARC is also pursuing a similar opportunity to investigate microbial regeneration research as a partner ina North American consortium. Each member of the consortium has particular strengths and expertise relating to one or more aspects of the development and application of methanogenic technology. Research will be enhanced through the sharing of ideas and development costs. Participants include ARC, Terralog Technologies Inc.. IISOKM Geochemical Consultants Ltd.. and RMB Earth Science Consultants Ltd For more information, contact: Dr. Karen Budwill Carbon & Energy Management Alberta Research Council 250 Kari Clark Road Edmonton, Alberta Canada T6N 1E4 Tel: (780) 450-5128 Fax: (780) 450-5083 Email: karenb@arc.ab.ca www.arc.ab.ca nology ARC is iny estigating and developing technology to enhance biogenic methane production. or methano- genesis. in deep unmineable coal beds for clean energy generation and carbon sequestration. Two areas of dev clopment are identified for the use of methanogenic consortia the acceleration of methane generation in naturally occurring coalbed methane reservoirs. and: the conversion of sequestered CO, to methane from the injection of CO.or flue gas into coal beds to enhance coalbed methane recovery Both processes involve the injection of nutrients and or methanogenic consortia into the coal beds. Under appropriate growth conditions, methanogenic consortia can generate significant quantities of methane ov era relatively short time period in the subsurface. The Benefits The production of methane from coal ina sustainable tashion is. therefore, approached in a cyclic process that reduces CO, emissions to the atmosphere by injecting them into coal beds, producing methane trapped in coal and regenerating more methane from CO, and coal by microbial action. The end result is that the coal decreases slightly in volume, permeability increases. and the coal can be mined later for other purposes. Oxidation combustion co, ' CH, “~ Bacterial consortia, ‘Surface and/or nutrients _ (Primary biogenic CH, production from coal ongoing) \ \ Coal Bed Enhancec CBM followed by microbial regeneartion of the CBM reservoir nena a Pan RESEARCH COUNCIL a Zz oa b= bd °o i$ z << = Dy o [+4 a 4 oe] Q z z o a 14 | 1S) ALBERTA y he : : RESEARCH DF Williston Basin Petroleum Conference May 7-9, Minot, ND EUNCIL Ss f v Role of Biogenic Gas Generation for Sustainable CBM Production Karen Budwill Alberta Research Council Edmonton, Alberta, Canada SMART THINKING. POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. ARC Background REAR SS ARC Then ¢ Established in 1921 ¢ Canada’s first provincial research organization * For 85 years, ARC has contributed to the growth and development of Alberta SMART THINKING. POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. COUNCIL SS ARC Now * 500 highly qualified people * $82 M annual operating budget * Not-for-profit corporation wholly owned by the province of Alberta, governed by a board of Directors * Technology Development Centres: — Engineered Products/Services — Energy — Integrated Resource Management — Life Sciences ALBERTA vy RESEARCH rt Acknowledgements COUNCIL SE ¢ Alberta Science and Research Authority - Alberta Energy Research Institute ¢ Natural Resources Canada ¢ Environment Canada ¢ Alberta Environment SMART THINKING. POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. ALBERTA Talk Outline RESEARCH ¥ ¢ Introduction - Objectives/Goals ¢ Results ¢ Future work ¢ Field application SMART THINKING. POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. CBM Production in Alberta ALBERTA ¥y RESEARCH De (2005 data, CSUG) COUNCIL Se - Current estimates of 700 Tcf gas. * 1 billion+ $ invested in 3000+ wells in Alberta. * Current production of 350+ MMcf/D. * Major CBM plays in Alberta nee | = (by % existing wells): —— wi | | Mannville, 7% | ’ Ardley, 2% | {ptnabasca (saline, 60% of <a | ee resources ion-same) | aiarten—_| “S\ \ \ —= } kK | | AX | Horseshoe Canyon wer 5 SS ——- Formation & Belly River Group / f \ \ AS ¥ { 0 100 =. 200km 4 | j aan iy daieine Leccntensetieronntenenenl } iis Halt 5 x Leibbridge ws j m7 \ \ qe as | AGS “~\__¥ | emt Linea Boa Boeri oe ingica bees Biogenic methane production is detectedina ,.... «4 variety of geological deposits throughout the “Caine! ¥ world. : . : *) a We : ‘. Se 7 | 3 ‘Ov . l ¢ PCe. © | . “8 ~ ew “| | ~\ PS Cs Oo ; e ky SS. . Os v4 - r e or LA -—-_--———“ 0 Miles 3000 Catlins "TTT 0 Kilometers 4000 SMARi ininning. _ POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. From: Martini et al., 1998 Outcomes of biogenic methane production 4 scm ~ RESEARCH that may benefit CBM companies COUNCIL ¢- Mechanism for the regeneration of methane in the later life of a CBM reservoir when pressure is lower. * Technology to allow ongoing methane generation in coal seams, especially in those with low gas content coals. * Mechanisms to increase productivity potential of a CBM reservoir by enhancing seam permeability. “If only one-hundredth of one percent of US coal reserves were converted into methane through microbial processes, coal gas reserves would increase by 23 Tcf, or approximately 10% of current reserves” (A.R. Scott, AAPG conference, 2001) SMART THINKING. POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. n. Anaerobic degradation with methane __, Atztxa y¥ production COUNCIL Celluloytic, hydrolytic bacteria J Hydrolysis Fermentative bacteria Fermentation Homo- | Acetogenesis H,-producing fatty-acid oxidizing acetogens bacteria Methanpgens Fermentation Methanogenesis Methanogens SMART THINKING. CH, + CO, POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. Methanogens Major methanogenesis reaction _ , ax y¥ COUNCIL S& pathways CARBONATE REDUCTION: CO, + 4H, > CH, + 2H,O ACETATE FERMENTATION: CH,COO- + H* > CH, + CO, SMART THINKING. POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. Microbial enhanced CBM can be coupled to ALBERTA yg RESEARCH De CO, storage to create a closed-loop fuel cycle. COUNCIL SF Oxidation, CO, recovery | Nutrients, microbial culture injection | | Hydrolytic bacteria Methanogens Deep coal seam SMART THINKING. POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. ermogenic an biogenic methane) ALBERTA 3s Objectives and Goals Revel Se - Proof of concept: investigate and understand rates of biogenic methane production under different conditions. Determine mechanisms for optimizing rates and economics of process. * Microcosm studies (atmospheric pressures). * Mesocosm studies (elevated pressures, batch mode). * Mesocosm studies (elevated pressures, dynamic).* ¢ Field demonstrations. SMART THINKING. POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. ALBERTA ¥ RESEARCH ig COUNCIL A WTS Results SMART THINKING. POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. RESEARCH A thermophilic, methanogenic consortium was __a.serta ¥ isolated from bituminous coal cuttings COUNCIL 35.0 + |= @ = 50C 30%CO2/bal.N2 —— 50C BESA 30.0 + Sa | —@— 50C 80%H2/20%CO02 | - B- 37C 30%CO2/bal.N2 @ 25.0 376 BESA = | — —B— 37C 80%H2/20%C02 | © 20.0 }- = = 3s = 15.0 4 oO ® =10.0 5.0 0,0 lg nl —= 0 5 10 15 20 25 Time (days) SMART THINKING. POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. Some characteristics of thermophilic —, atser~ =~ methanogenic culture COUNCIL 3% Ss we o 20} AS © 0.25 | 10 | oO . | Nn w | | _[* 50 < 0 4 = Qo & 0.20 | = be 8 © -10 dco2 err | 9 O 0.15 | ee is Pee A ; 3% : Hee eee @ 0.10 ® .30 aa of G a | p2§ = 0.05 ~40 z 9 = ee ee -50 £ 0.00 | | Pa 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 -60 ip nen ann ee pe an ee dO 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 Temperature (C) Time (hours) ¢ Optimum growth temperature of 60°C. ¢ Stable isotope analysis indicates methanogenesis by carbonate reduction pathway. SMART THINKING. POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. Growth of thermophilic, methanogenic A387 ¥ culture at elevated pressures COUNCIL S&% 700 80% H,, 20% CO, headspace, no coal present —— 660 v 620 Pressure (psi) a ao o SCF Methane/ton substrate 6° | /-9-15 PSi(0.1 MPa) | _|4m- 290 PSI(2MPa)| [sae 725 PSI (5 Mpa) | SCF Methane/ton Coal 20% H,, 80% N, headspace, SMART THINKING. crushed coal POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 4 Time (days) Mesophilic methanogenic cultures AUN enriched from coal cuttings COUNCIL iy. - Cultures enriched from 12 CBM desorption canisters that had unexpected gas production. ¢ Incubated at 30°C. * Methanogenic activity observed when cultures grown ina dilute nutrient broth. SMART THINKING. POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. RESEARCH Effect of nutrient addition on ALIN methanogenesis COUNCIL 3% v - > ya. : Addition ofa | nutrient (a — | $5 7 nitrogen source) significantly 30 enhanced methane a production over | 225 7 | ~Nutrient+coal | cultures with the = 20 + — : ~® Nutrient only only or coal a | Coal only * Nutrient may =r stimulate growth 10 - 7 and activity of hydrolytic bacteria sg. | (they provide the | substrates for | 9 __| methanogenesis). | 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 Time (days) SMART THINKING. POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. Stable isotope analysis of methanogenesis from coal Time (days) | | 42 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 10.0 ~———— +++ Ee | | 5 10 0.0 | s- M-- oi ee | ee | = 8 : oct (12 BHI+Coal) | | E 8 100 + — ger ee aca |@- C02 (12 BHI+Coal| | E | i ~ Go |e 04 (1/2 BHI) | |3 2 -20.0 —————+ }---@ - C02 (1/2 BHI) | oO «© | { —C1(MSM+Coal) | | @ -30.0 5 e- CO2(MSM+Coal) | | § | = 2 -40. ae 0.0 | |= -50.0 -60.0 ~ depending on culture conditions. 00 —————— ~ 100% ‘Incorporation a —— 50% Incorporation —~~25% Incorporation —*— Culture with coal+nutrient —#— Culture with nutrient only —e Culture with coal only | 400 Water Deuterium (ppm) 600 ° Stable isotope analysis of 18g and 130609: different values ALBERTA RESEARCH COUNCIL 800 1000 * Deuterium incorporation into methane: approximately half of culture water hydrogen incorporated into CH, when nutrient present. * Work will lead to understanding of microbial processes, develop signatures of microbial activity for monitoring purposes. SMART THINKING. POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. Sy - > is ra. Ty 1200 gs = . . = ALBERTA 3% Identification of microbial species RE EANCIL S ts Identify the methanogens and bacteria from coal enrichment cultures as well as from fresh coal and groundwater samples by DNA extraction and sequencing of genes. Identification of microbes will guide the informed manipulation of in situ conditions to enhance coal bed | | Obed Sludg : ft $24C160 ? yt $32C 169 FastDNA PowerDNA Lab Method -+123412341234 methanogenesis. _—— ae » |-o& Major Archaeal species found: Methanosarcina spp. and FastDNA PowerDNA Lab Method Methanothermobacter spp. [| 13 4 decade J . . . ‘ a ? based Major bacterial species found: Bacterial PCR | Sedimentibacter spp, clostridia. Negative extraction Coal + phosphate buffer Coal + M. sarcina culture Coal + PCR product RON= SMART THINKING. POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. ALBERTA =< RESEARCH DQ} COUNCIL S&% Summary of mesophilic methanogenic cultures - Addition of nutrients had a significant effect on enhancing methanogenesis. - Cultures able to grow at elevated pressures in presence of coal cores. Extrapolation of selected results: Culture Scf CH, Scf CH,/ day Scf CH,/tonne coal Scf CH,/tonne/ day MMScf CH,/ reservoir MMScf CH,/ reservoir/ da areas tlenenenneneneetheneeenemeeren th ceeemnnnenenieanemmmrinmmnenimeiammen Inoculated crushed coal at atmospheric pressure, 30°C SMART THINKING. Coal (74d) 3.9e° 5.3e° 7.2 0.097 3.6 0.048 Coal + 2.3e° 3.4e” 218.9 3.2 108 1.6 nutrient (68 d) Inoculated whole core at 100 psi, 30°C Coalissa) | 9.2e* | 1.4e* | 1.7 0.021 0.86 0.0104 Coal + 3.0e° 4.14e7 | 5.6 0.21 2.7 0.102 nutrient (27 a) | Reservoir: 10 m thick, 10 acres, 493,714 tonnes (Scott, 1999) POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. Future work ¢ Build flow-through columns. - Determine and optimize methanogenesis rates under a dynamic system. ¢ Gear up for field demonstration — Site selection — Injection/fracturing methods — Monitoring methods SMART THINKING. POWERFUL SOLUTIONS. ALBERTA Xv RESEARCH e Temco DCH Series Pressure Ported Core Holders COUNCIL S& —— : — co +— —— igh Preseus lejecton Pun r | Reservoir | Flow 8 Control LI c——! ALBERTA << Field application SESUNCIL ¥ 1. With primary production: ° New well. ° Inject nutrient solution with or after fracturing solution. ° Shut in well to allow microbial population to increase and become activated (?7?) ° Monitor activity, recover gas. 2. After primary production: . Completed well or late stage. ° Shut in well to allow microbial population to increase and become activated? For both scenarios: ° Periodically dose CBM play with nutrient solution to maintain high microbial activity. . Stagger the stimulation of wells within a CBM play: when one well is shut in, another one is active. SMART THINKING. POWERFUL SOLUTIONS.