Energy gases of abiogenic origin in the Earth's crust

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper; (United States)

OSTI ID:6779771

Apps, J A ^[1]; Kamp, P.C. van de ^[2]

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1. Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States)
2. Cornelis Corp., St. Helena, CA (United States)

Overwhelming evidence supports the belief that the world's natural-gas resources come from the decomposition of organic matter in sedimentary rock formations. Yet alternative arguments supporting an abiogenic origin have been advanced for more than 100 years. In recent years these arguments have centered on the concept that large quantities of primordial methane were trapped in the Earth during planetary accretion and that this gas is migrating into the Earth's crust and accumulating in reservoirs in sedimentary rock. The economic implications of these arguments could be profound and merit a thorough review of all evidence that might clarify this issue. The likelihood that methane might be migrating from the Earth's interior is explored. Abiogenic hydrogen and methane are generated in the Earth's crust through hydrolysis by ultramafic and mafic rocks at temperatures below 500[degrees]C. The quantities of gas that could form from bodies of such rocks can be of the same order of magnitude as those of typical gas fields. Commercial reservoirs of abiogenic energy gases have, however, never been found. It appears that most sites were hydrogen and methane can be generated abiogenically are also those where no structural traps are present, where water access is limited, or where the presence of other substances such as sulfate inhibit hydrolysis. We therefore conclude that resources of abiogenic energy gases in the Earth's crust are probably small and of little or no commercial interest. Exploration strategies for such resources should be critically evaluated in the light of currently available evidence to assess the potential risks involved. 301 refs., 10 figs., 3 tabs.

• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 6779771
• Journal Information: United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper; (United States), Vol. 1570
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
METHANE
ORIGIN
SYNTHESIS
ABIOGENIC GAS
CARBON
EARTH CRUST
HYDROGEN
OXIDATION
ALKANES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
HYDROCARBONS
NATURAL GAS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
030200* - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration