Applying natural tracer technologies in the environmental monitoring of unconventional gas extraction

自然示踪技术在非常规天然气开采环境监测中的应用

基本信息

批准号：
NE/L008297/1
负责人：
Finlay Stuart
金额：
$ 6.14万
依托单位：
Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Research Grant
财政年份：
2013
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2013 至无数据
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=NE%2FL008297%2F1
关键词：
Applying natural tracer technologies environmental

项目摘要

It is clear from recent media coverage that there is significant public concern surrounding the exploitation of unconventional gas resources (shale gas and coal bed methane) in the UK. Many of these concerns relate to potential methane contamination of drinking water supplies in shallow aquifers. Developing a comprehensive strategy for monitoring any unconventional gas extraction in the UK will be paramount in reassuring the public that the extraction is being undertaken in a responsible and safe manner. This regulation must be based on strong scientific principles which need to be established prior to widespread unconventional gas extraction taking place.This consortium project aims to use natural chemical components in groundwater and gases, to provide legally-defensible evidence in case of future allegations of methane contamination of groundwaters. This will be by obtaining chemical analyses of produced CBM and Shale Gas methane, shallow methane sources, and uncontaminated groundwater. Existing chemical analyses of baseline groundwater samples provide information on methane concentrations and the source of the water that the methane is contained in. However, they do not provide the unique fingerprint required to unequivocally determine the origin of methane.We will collect samples of shale gas, CBM and produced waters and undertake measurements of the C and H stable isotopes, radiocarbon (14C) and noble gases (He Ne Ar Kr Xe) in the produced gases. These will allow the CBM and Shale Gas to be distinguished from other gas sources and provide a clear "fingerprint" for assessing groundwater contamination. We will also collect samples of baseline groundwaters and measure methane concentrations, C stable isotopes in the Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC), H and O stable isotopes to provide a simple low-cost screening. Should the methane gas content of these groundwaters be found to be above 2 milligrams per litre we will separate the methane gas and measure the H and C stable isotope signature. This will allow us to determine the separate origins of both the groundwater and of the methane (which may be shallow bacterial or deep thermal source).If sampling and analysis of groundwater during or after CBM or Shale Gas production shows that methane concentrations have increased, then analysis of the H, C, radiocarbon and noble gas components should be made on the groundwaters. This will allow the source of methane to be categorically resolved - is that methane of shallow bacterial origin, or from deep thermal sources which have previously been trapped at shallow depth, or is the increased methane an unambiguous addition of deep thermogenic methane from CBM or Shale Gas exploitation? The proposed laboratory which will be setup by this consortium, along with the extra facilities for noble gas and radiocarbon analysis which will be provided with the match funding secured from the Scottish Government and the University of Edinburgh, will provide a greatly improved approach to high-quality assurance of environmental protection of groundwater. This facility will be unique in Europe and we will pursue application of the techniques at other European sites of unconventional gas extraction.Action needs to be taken now, before widespread Shale Gas and CBM exploration and production activities commence in the UK. There is currently a one-off opportunity to collect and analyse uncontaminated baseline samples. We will publicise this research programme publicised to show the care with which Shale Gas and CBM regulation is being undertaken in the UK. This will provide public reassurance that lessons have been learnt from the negative unconventional gas experiences encountered in the USA and Australia.

从最近的媒体报道可以清楚地看出，公众对英国非常规天然气资源（页岩气和煤层气）的开采非常关注。其中许多担忧与浅层含水层饮用水供应潜在的甲烷污染有关。制定监测英国任何非常规天然气开采的综合战略对于让公众确信开采是以负责任和安全的方式进行至关重要。该法规必须基于强有力的科学原则，这些原则需要在广泛的非常规天然气开采之前建立。该联盟项目旨在使用地下水和气体中的天然化学成分，以便在未来出现甲烷指控时提供合法的证据地下水污染。这将通过对所产生的煤层气和页岩气甲烷、浅层甲烷源和未受污染的地下水进行化学分析来实现。现有的基线地下水样本化学分析提供了有关甲烷浓度和含有甲烷的水源的信息。但是，它们没有提供明确确定甲烷来源所需的独特指纹。我们将收集页岩气样本、CBM 和产出水，并对产出气体中的 C 和 H 稳定同位素、放射性碳 (14C) 和稀有气体 (He Ne Ar Kr Xe) 进行测量。这些将使煤层气和页岩气与其他气源区分开来，并为评估地下水污染提供清晰的“指纹”。我们还将收集基线地下水样本并测量甲烷浓度、溶解无机碳 (DIC) 中的 C 稳定同位素、H 和 O 稳定同位素，以提供简单的低成本筛查。如果发现这些地下水的甲烷气体含量高于每升 2 毫克，我们将分离甲烷气体并测量 H 和 C 稳定同位素特征。这将使我们能够确定地下水和甲烷的不同来源（可能是浅层细菌或深层热源）。如果在煤层气或页岩气生产期间或之后对地下水进行采样和分析表明甲烷浓度增加，然后应对地下水进行H、C、放射性碳和稀有气体成分分析。这将使甲烷的来源得到明确解决——是浅层细菌起源的甲烷，还是来自先前被困在浅层深度的深层热源，或者增加的甲烷是来自煤层气或页岩的深层热成因甲烷的明确添加天然气开采？该联盟将建立的拟议实验室，以及由苏格兰政府和爱丁堡大学提供的配套资金提供的稀有气体和放射性碳分析的额外设施，将为高通量分析提供一种大大改进的方法。地下水环境保护质量保证。该设施在欧洲将是独一无二的，我们将寻求在欧洲其他非常规天然气开采地点应用该技术。在英国开始广泛的页岩气和煤层气勘探和生产活动之前，现在就需要采取行动。目前有一个一次性的机会来收集和分析未受污染的基线样本。我们将宣传这项研究计划，以展示英国对页岩气和煤层气监管的谨慎态度。这将使公众放心，他们已经从美国和澳大利亚的非常规天然气负面经历中吸取了教训。