Reactive transport modeling of organic carbon degradation in marine methane hydrate systems

Wei, Li; Malinverno, Alberto; Colwell, Frederick; Goldberg, David S.

doi:10.1038/s41598-024-52957-w

Title: Reactive transport modeling of organic carbon degradation in marine methane hydrate systems

Journal Article · 03 February 2024 · Scientific Reports

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-52957-w · OSTI ID:2284012

Wei, Li ^[1]; Malinverno, Alberto ^[1]; Colwell, Frederick ^[2]; Goldberg, David S. ^[1]

Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States)
Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States)

Natural methane hydrate has often been observed in sand layers that contain no particulate organic carbon (POC), but are surrounded by organic-rich, fine-grained marine muds. In this paper, we develop a reactive transport model (RTM) of a microbially-mediated set of POC degradation reactions, including hydrolysis of POC driven by extracellular enzymes, fermentation of the resulting high-molecular weight dissolved organic carbon (HMW-DOC), and methanogenesis that consumes low-molecular weight dissolved organic carbon (LMW-DOC). These processes are mediated by two groups of microbes, fermenters and methanogens that are heterogeneously distributed in different lithologies, with the largest numbers of microbes in the large pores of coarse-grained layers. We find that the RTM can reproduce methane hydrate occurrences observed in two different geological environments, at Walker Ridge Site 313-H (Gulf of Mexico) and IODP Site U1325 (Cascadia Margin). We also find that microbes can degrade POC even if they are physically separated, as extracellular enzymes and DOC can diffuse away from where they are produced by microbes. Microbial activity is highest at relatively early times after burial at shallow depths and near lithological boundaries, where concentration gradients transport solutes to intervals that contain the most microbes.

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Research Organization:: Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States); Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE); USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: FE0013919

OSTI ID:: 2284012

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2472336

Journal Information:: Scientific Reports, Vol. 14, Issue 1; ISSN 2045-2322

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
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Title: Reactive transport modeling of organic carbon degradation in marine methane hydrate systems

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