Enhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture

Barnhart, Elliott P.; Davis, Katherine J.; Varonka, Matthew; Orem, William; Cunningham, Alfred B.; Ramsay, Bradley D.; Fields, Matthew W.

doi:10.1016/j.coal.2017.01.001

Title: Enhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture

Abstract

Many coal beds contain microbial communities that can convert coal to natural gas (coalbed methane). Native microorganisms were obtained from Powder River Basin (PRB) coal seams with a diffusive microbial sampler placed downhole and used as an inoculum for enrichments with different nutrients to investigate microbially-enhanced coalbed methane production (MECoM). Coal-dependent methanogenesis more than doubled when yeast extract (YE) and several less complex components (proteins and amino acids) were added to the laboratory microcosms. Stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis with peptone was 86% of that with YE while glutamate-stimulated activity was 65% of that with YE, and a vitamin mix had only 33% of the YE stimulated activity. For field application of MECoM, there is interest in identifying cost-effective alternatives to YE and other expensive nutrients. In laboratory studies, adding algal extract (AE) with lipids removed stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis and the activity was 60% of that with YE at 27 d and almost 90% of YE activity at 1406 d. Analysis of British Thermal Unit (BTU) content of coal (a measure of potential energy yield) from long-term incubations indicated > 99.5% of BTU content remained after coalbed methane (CBM) stimulation with either AE or YE. Thus, the coal resource remains largely unchangedmore »« less

Authors:

Barnhart, Elliott P.; Davis, Katherine J.; Varonka, Matthew;

; Cunningham, Alfred B.; Ramsay, Bradley D.; Fields, Matthew W.

Publication Date:: Wed Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2017

Research Org.:: Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States); USGS Wyoming Montana Water Science Center, Helena, MT (United States); U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE); United States Geological Survey (USGS)

OSTI Identifier:: 1390394

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1428019

Grant/Contract Number:: FE0024068; FC26-04NT42262

Resource Type:: Published Article

Journal Name:: International Journal of Coal Geology

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Name: International Journal of Coal Geology Journal Volume: 171 Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0166-5162

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: Netherlands

Language:: English

Subject:: 01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT; 09 BIOMASS FUELS; 03 NATURAL GAS; stimulated coal methanogenesis; coal natural gas

Citation Formats


                    Barnhart, Elliott P., Davis, Katherine J., Varonka, Matthew, Orem, William, Cunningham, Alfred B., Ramsay, Bradley D., and Fields, Matthew W. Enhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture.  Netherlands: N. p., 2017. 
Web.  doi:10.1016/j.coal.2017.01.001.

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                    Barnhart, Elliott P., Davis, Katherine J., Varonka, Matthew, Orem, William, Cunningham, Alfred B., Ramsay, Bradley D., & Fields, Matthew W. Enhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture.  Netherlands.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2017.01.001

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                    Barnhart, Elliott P., Davis, Katherine J., Varonka, Matthew, Orem, William, Cunningham, Alfred B., Ramsay, Bradley D., and Fields, Matthew W. Wed .  
"Enhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture".  Netherlands.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2017.01.001.

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@article{osti_1390394,

  title        = {Enhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture},

  author       = {Barnhart, Elliott P. and Davis, Katherine J. and Varonka, Matthew and Orem, William and Cunningham, Alfred B. and Ramsay, Bradley D. and Fields, Matthew W.},

  abstractNote = {Many coal beds contain microbial communities that can convert coal to natural gas (coalbed methane). Native microorganisms were obtained from Powder River Basin (PRB) coal seams with a diffusive microbial sampler placed downhole and used as an inoculum for enrichments with different nutrients to investigate microbially-enhanced coalbed methane production (MECoM). Coal-dependent methanogenesis more than doubled when yeast extract (YE) and several less complex components (proteins and amino acids) were added to the laboratory microcosms. Stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis with peptone was 86% of that with YE while glutamate-stimulated activity was 65% of that with YE, and a vitamin mix had only 33% of the YE stimulated activity. For field application of MECoM, there is interest in identifying cost-effective alternatives to YE and other expensive nutrients. In laboratory studies, adding algal extract (AE) with lipids removed stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis and the activity was 60% of that with YE at 27 d and almost 90% of YE activity at 1406 d. Analysis of British Thermal Unit (BTU) content of coal (a measure of potential energy yield) from long-term incubations indicated > 99.5% of BTU content remained after coalbed methane (CBM) stimulation with either AE or YE. Thus, the coal resource remains largely unchanged following stimulated microbial methane production. Algal CBM stimulation could lead to technologies that utilize coupled biological systems (photosynthesis and methane production) that sustainably enhance CBM production and generate algal biofuels while also sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2).},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.coal.2017.01.001},

  journal      = {International Journal of Coal Geology},

  number       = C,

  volume       = 171,

  place        = {Netherlands},

  year         = {Wed Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2017},

  month        = {Wed Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2017}

}

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Coal Bed Methane Enhancement Techniques: A Review
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Goraya, Navroop Singh; Rajpoot, Neetoo; Marriyappan Sivagnanam, Balathanigaimani
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Subsurface Stappia: Success Through Defence, Specialisation and Putative Pressure-Dependent Carbon Fixation
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Vick, Silas H. W.; Greenfield, Paul; Willows, Robert D.
Microbial Ecology, Vol. 80, Issue 1
DOI: 10.1007/s00248-019-01471-y

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Title: Enhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture

Abstract

Citation Formats

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Subsurface Stappia: Success Through Defence, Specialisation and Putative Pressure-Dependent Carbon Fixation journal, December 2019

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