Unearthing the role of microbiology in shale gas extraction: a bioreactor approach

挖掘微生物学在页岩气开采中的作用：生物反应器方法

• 批准号: NE/R013462/1
• 负责人: Sophie Nixon
• 金额: $ 51.8万
• 依托单位: University of Manchester
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2018 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=NE%2FR013462%2F1
• 关键词: Unearthing; role; microbiology; shale; gas; Unearthing; role; microbiology; shale; gas

More than 1300 trillion cubic feet of natural gas is estimated to reside in UK shale formations, kilometers below the surface. This resource has the potential to fuel the nation for decades, and bridge the energy gap between the UK's dependence on coal and oil towards the sustainable renewable energies of the future. Natural gas is locked away in tight spaces within shale. To recover this gas for use as a fuel, these deep shale formations must be artifically fractured by a process called hydraulical fracturing. This process involves pumping millions of litres of water and chemicals into a horizontally-drilled well at high pressure, causing fractures to open through which natural gas can flow unimpeded. Although the government supports the exploitation of the UK's natural gas reserves, there is deep public concern over the environmental risks of hydraulic fracturing, triggered by widely publicised reports of environmental damge from hydraulic fracturing in the US. Whilst a comprehensive independent report deemed the risks of extraction to be low when conducted properly, these concerns must be addressed in order for the full potential of UK economy to benefit from this resource to be met.A number of chemicals that are added to injection water during hydrualic fracturing are known to stimulate microorganisms, and in particular microbial processes that negatively impact on natural gas and its extraction. These processes may lead, for example, to a depletion in additives in the input fluid (each of which serves a particular purpose in making shale gas extraction more efficient), as well as spoiling the natural gas, and causing corrosion of the well infrastructure. Collectively, these 'biofouling' processes lead to increased costs, reduced efficiency and a greater potential environmental impact.The research I propose is designed to tackle these issues. In partnership with a UK oil and gas servicing company, Rawwater Engineering Company Limited, I will test an array of injection fluid chemicals (individually and mixed together) for their potential to stimulate biofouling processes. These experiments will be conducted using bespoke, high pressure bioreactors that are designed to mimic the conditions of UK shale formations. Throughout these experiments I will apply state-of-the-art techniques to monitor changes to the chemistry and microbiology, and in doing so unearth the role of microbiology in the efficiency of shale gas extraction.The results of this research will shed light on the potential for injection fluid chemistry to stimulate biofouling, as well as the types of microorganisms that are responsible for these processes. In partnership with Rawwater and their links to the wider oil and gas industry, these results will allow me to develop diagnostic tools and control strategies that can be applied to field operations in order to maximise the efficiency and hence minise the environmental impact of shale gas extraction, to the benefit of the UK economy.

据估计，超过1300万亿立方英尺的天然气居住在英国页岩地层中，在地面以下公里。该资源有可能为国家助长数十年，并弥合英国对煤炭和石油的依赖之间的能源差距，以实现未来可持续的可再生能源。天然气被锁定在页岩中的狭窄空间中。为了回收这种气体作为燃料，这些深页岩形成必须通过称为水力压裂的过程来艺术破裂。该过程涉及将数百万升水和化学物质泵入高压时水平钻孔，导致裂缝打开，天然气可以不受阻碍地流动。尽管政府支持对英国天然气储量的开发，但公众对液压压裂的环境风险深表深刻的关注，这是由美国液压破裂的广泛宣传的环境昏暗的报告引发的。虽然一份全面的独立报告认为，正确进行提取的风险要低，但必须解决这些问题，以使英国经济的全部潜力受益于这种资源。例如，这些过程可能导致输入流体中添加剂的耗竭（每个过程都具有使页岩气提取更有效的特定目的），并破坏天然气，并导致基础设施的腐蚀。总的来说，这些“生物污染”过程导致成本提高，效率降低和潜在的环境影响更大。我提出的研究旨在解决这些问题。与英国石油和天然气服务公司，Rawwater Engineering Company Limited合作，我将测试一系列注射液化学品（单独并混合在一起），以刺激生物污染过程。这些实验将使用定制的高压生物反应器进行，旨在模仿英国页岩地层的条件。在这些实验中，我将采用最新技术来监视化学和微生物学的变化，并在这样做时出现微生物学在页岩气提取效率中的作用。这项研究的结果将揭示注射流体化学的潜力，以刺激生物污染物的类型，以及这些过程的类型。与Rawwater合作及其与更广泛的石油和天然气行业的联系，这些结果将使我能够制定诊断工具和控制策略，这些工具和控制策略可以应用于现场运营，以最大程度地提高效率，从而削减页岩天然气提取的环境影响，从而对英国经济有益。