Collaborative Research: Hydrodynamic controls on microbial community dynamics and carbon cycling in coalbeds

合作研究：煤层微生物群落动态和碳循环的水动力控制

• 批准号: 1322805
• 负责人: Jennifer McIntosh
• 金额: $ 25万
• 依托单位: University of Arizona
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-09-01 至 2017-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1322805&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Hydrodynamic; controls; microbial

Natural gas is becoming increasingly important as a transitional fuel, less carbon-intensive and polluting than coal, to meet growing energy demands worldwide. Approximately 20% of natural gas resources are generated by microbes that degrade organic matter in geologic formations, such as coal seams, and produce methane. Recent laboratory and field studies have shown that these microorganisms can be stimulated to generate new gas resources. However, little is known about how microbes naturally convert organic matter into methane, the rates new methane can be generated, and the rate limiting steps. In addition, large quantities of groundwater are extracted from coal seams to produce natural gas, which may alter the in situ environmental conditions with unknown consequences for the microbial communities. This study aims to determine the structure and function of microbial communities in coal seams under different hydrologic and geochemical conditions, and how they may change with groundwater pumping and dewatering of coal beds. Specifically, we will investigate the spatial, depth and temporal variability of microbial communities in coals; how this distribution is controlled by aqueous environmental conditions and recharge rates that may be reflected in water and gas isotopic signatures; how microbial communities may respond to perturbations, such as groundwater extraction; and how observations of in situ microbial activity can be incorporated into a predictive model of coal bioconversion to methane. The study is focused in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming/Montana, one of the first large basins to undergo intensive development of microbial coalbed methane (CBM), and an important model for future CBM development in other basins. Results from this study will be made available to the public via the NSF-funded CUAHSI Hydroserver and Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology Ground Water Information Center. New data will be incorporated into the web-based Biofilms: the Hypertextbook. And, a video on the research will be on display at the University of Arizona Flandrau Science Center and Biosphere2.

天然气作为一种过渡性燃料正变得越来越重要，其碳密集度和污染程度低于煤炭，以满足全球日益增长的能源需求。 大约20%的天然气资源是由微生物产生的，微生物降解地质构造中的有机物，如煤层，并产生甲烷。 最近的实验室和现场研究表明，这些微生物可以被刺激产生新的天然气资源。 然而，人们对微生物如何自然地将有机物转化为甲烷、新甲烷产生的速率以及速率限制步骤知之甚少。 此外，从煤层中提取大量地下水以生产天然气，这可能会改变原位环境条件，对微生物群落造成未知后果。 本研究旨在确定不同水文地球化学条件下煤层中微生物群落的结构和功能，以及它们如何随着地下水开采和煤层脱水而变化。 具体来说，我们将研究煤中微生物群落的空间，深度和时间变化;这种分布如何受到水环境条件和可能反映在水和气体同位素特征中的补给率的控制;微生物群落如何应对扰动，如地下水开采;以及如何将原位微生物活性的观察结果纳入煤生物转化为甲烷的预测模型。 该研究的重点是在怀俄明州/蒙大拿州的粉河盆地，进行微生物煤层气（煤层气）的密集开发的第一个大盆地之一，和未来的煤层气开发在其他盆地的重要模式。 这项研究的结果将通过NSF资助的CUAHSI Hydroserver和蒙大拿州矿业和地质局地下水信息中心向公众提供。 新的数据将被纳入基于网络的生物膜：超教科书。 而且，一个关于这项研究的视频将在亚利桑那大学弗兰德劳科学中心和生物圈2号展出。