![Page 1: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
An update on geochemistry at MC 118
Laura Lapham, Jeff Chanton, Beth Huettel, FSUJim Knapp, USC
Leonardo Macelloni, UMChris Martens, UNC-CH
DOE- National Energy Technology LabHydrate fellowship
![Page 2: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Outline
• Spatial survey of biogeochemical cycles at MC 118– Tying microbial activity to deep seeded faults– Additional cores from HyFlux cruise
• Results of seafloor instruments• Hydrate dissolution lab experiments
![Page 3: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Microbial activity as a seafloor indicator of deep seeded fault
Relative Microbial ActivityHighModerateLowCO3
* See Beth Huettel’s poster at Ocean Sciences, Feb 2010, highlighting this work
![Page 4: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
HYFLUX cruise objectives
• Pick up seafloor instruments• Collect gravity cores
– GC1 was targeted by Leo because of a deeper acoustic anomaly. This site also corresponded to mass spec anomaly found by Rich Camilli on a June 09 AUV cruise to MC 118.
– GC2 was targeted to test one of the locations of the proposed borehole. This site is northeast of the mound, so we didn't expect to see either methane or sulfides.
– GC3 and GC5 were targeted because they are along one of the surface reaching faults that Jim Knapp has identified in the industry data and there is a deeper acoustic anomaly.
– GC4 was chosen because it was targeted as a potential place for a borehole due to a shallow bright spot identified in the industry seismic data. My understanding is that there is a fault that extends down to the hydrocarbon reservoir but not up to theseafloor.
![Page 5: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Coring priorities
Microbial activity increases closer to faultsIncreased microbial activity associated with deeper seismic anomalyDeep bright spot anomaly is associated with higher microbial activity
Hypotheses:
![Page 6: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
No Core Recovery C1=1uMC3>C2δ13C-CH4= -50‰δ13C-DIC= -10‰
C1=15uM, linearδ13C-CH4= -60‰δ13C-DIC= -30‰
C1=4uM, concaveδ13C-CH4= -80‰δ13C-DIC= -40‰
GC2
GC3,5
GC1
GC4
* Slight SO4 depletion in all cores, but nothing substantial
![Page 7: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
HYFLUX gravity cores
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16Methane (uM)
Dep
th (c
mbs
f)
GC1GC2GC4
![Page 8: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
GC1
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
1
41
81
104
144
184
204
244
Dep
th (c
mbs
f)
% dissolved hydrocarbon
methaneethanepropane
GC2
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
2
41
81
121
161
201
241
281
Dep
th (c
mbs
f)
% dissolved hydrocarbon
methethanpropa
GC4
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
1
21
41
61
81
101
117
137
157
177
197
Dep
th (c
mbs
f)
% dissolved hydrocarbon
methaneethanepropane
![Page 9: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
HYFLUX gravity cores
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
-40 -35 -30 -25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0
d13C-DIC (o%)
Dep
th (c
mbs
f)
GC1GC2GC4
HYFLUX gravity cores
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Sulfate (mM)
Dep
th (c
mbs
f)
GC1GC2GC4
![Page 10: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Lithostratigraphy and Biostratigraphy by Charlotte Brunner, USM
~4000 yrs sedmissing
9.8
Cores 1, 4 diagenetically altered
![Page 11: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Why are these outcrops there?
Duan et al., 2006
![Page 12: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Hyp: Near surface or outcropping hydrates are more stable than predicted and diffusion is not only factor controlling their dissolution (oil coatings, crystal lattice, microbial slimes, etc.)
Hydrate dissolution experiments
Crystal Meth(ane) LaboratorySeafloor
![Page 13: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Seafloor instruments at MC 118
0
1
2
3
4
50 100 200 300 400
CH4 (uM)
Dep
th (c
m a
bove
?)
0
1
2
3
4
5-50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0
δ13C (ppt)D
epth
(cm
abo
ve ?
)
![Page 14: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Lab set up
![Page 15: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Experimental set‐up: Pressure chamber
Diagram in Google SketchUp
• Pre-expt: – Solution added to chamber– Pure CH4 introduced thru bubbling
tube and brought to pressure and temperature
– Over 2 days, hydrate formation was stimulated by vigorously bubbling, shaking and stirring.
– On the night of the 3rd day, at 1am, hydrate formed on window within 2 minutes
![Page 16: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Experimental set‐up: Pressure chamber
![Page 17: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
• Once hydrate was formed, it was flooded with more water and headspace flushed of methane
• Chamber was left alone (no stirring)
• The picture shows assumption of how hydrate formed. No visual confirmation of this.
• Water and headspace gas were collected at ~daily intervals and measured for methane concentrations on a Shimadzu 2014 Gas Chromatograph
The experiment
![Page 18: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Hydrate dissolution results
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
0 50 100 150 200
Time (hrs)
Met
hane
(mM
)
Expt 7Expt 12Expt 18Expt 19Expt 20
Sat'n
7 days
![Page 19: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Hydrate dissolution results
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
0 50 100 150 200
Time (hrs)
Met
hane
(mM
)
Expt 7Expt 12Expt 18Expt 19Expt 20Theory
Sat'n
7 days
![Page 20: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Hydrate dissolution results
Bigalke et al. (2009) Methane hydrate dissolution rates in undersaturatedseawater under controlled hydrodynamic forcing. Marine Chemistry 115, 226-234
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
0 50 100 150 200
Time (hrs)
Met
hane
(mM
)
Expt 7Expt 12Expt 18Expt 19Expt 20TheoryBigalke data
Sat'n
7 days
![Page 21: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Dissolution rate (x10-7mmol/m2/sec)
Rehder et al., 2004 3,700,000
Theory (1mm BL) 317,000Lapham et al., in review Gradient 1 = 600
Gradient 2 = 9
This study 90,000
Rate summary
![Page 22: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
We have begun to shed light
Duan et al., 2006
Future work:
Continue experiments with mixed gases
Add in oil and other natural ingredients
![Page 23: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
• The Crystal Meth(ane) lab allows us to determine factors, other than pressure and temperature, controlling hydrate stability
• Preliminary experiments show that under unstirred conditions, pure methane hydrate dissolves more slowly than stirred experiments and close to theoretical predictions
• Next step is to determine how mixed gases and other natural ingredients (oil, marine sediment, etc) may affect dissolution rates
• Overall, this research adds to our deeper understanding of gas hydrate stability and allows additional parameters to be included in models
Conclusions
![Page 24: An update on geochemistry at MC 118 - olemiss.edu](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022051323/627bb94d2b9fc76c5221855e/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Acknowledgements
• NETL hydrate fellowship• GOM Hydrate Research Consortium• Dr. Ray Highsmith, NOAA-NIUST
• Drs. Ian MacDonald, Mariam Kastner, HyFlux team, Brooks-McCall crew• Dr. Jennifer Biddle, Marshall Bowles, Julia Slaughter, Dr. Oscar Garcia• Dr. Charlotte Brunner, USM• Hydrate chamber experiments
– Dr. Rudy Rogers– Drs. Michael Max and John Osegovic, MDS– Ga. Tech hydrate lab
Thank-you for your attention!