Source identification of methane in groundwater in shale gas development areas: A critical review of the state of the art, prospects, and future challenges
Shale gas exploration and development carry the risk of causing groundwater contamination and enhancing the greenhouse effect through methane leakage. Identifying the source of abnormal methane in groundwater of shale gas development areas is becoming a research hotspot in the fields of groundwater...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Groundwater Science and Engineering Limited
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Journal of Groundwater Science and Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.19637/j.cnki.2305-7068.2021.03.007 |
| _version_ | 1797905106053627904 |
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| author | Zhao-xian Zheng Ling-xia Liu Xiao-shun Cui |
| author_facet | Zhao-xian Zheng Ling-xia Liu Xiao-shun Cui |
| author_sort | Zhao-xian Zheng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Shale gas exploration and development carry the risk of causing groundwater contamination and enhancing the greenhouse effect through methane leakage. Identifying the source of abnormal methane in groundwater of shale gas development areas is becoming a research hotspot in the fields of groundwater and climate change. This paper reviews the traditional methodology in identifying sources of methane and its deficiency in groundwater application. Then potential and advantages of using noble gases were discussed on how to overcome these limitations of the traditional method. Finally, based on noble gas, the current application status and future challenges of methane source identification in groundwater were analyzed. It can be summarized as: (1) due to chemical and/or microbial processes in the aquifer system, the traditional methodology for methane source identification, which utilizes molecular and isotopic compositions of hydrocarbon gas, has multiple interpretationsand large uncertainties; (2) the non-reactive nature and well-characterized isotopic compositions of noble gases in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and crust, make noble gases ideal indicators of the sources of methane in groundwater. Moreover, the mechanism of formation and release of crustal noble gas prevent shale gas signatures from being interfered with by natural gas; (3) the key scientific tasks surrounding the use of noble gases for methane source identification include quantitatively separating the components of atmosphere-derived, mantle-derived, and crust-derived noble gases from the bulk noble gases in groundwater. It quantifies the solubility fractionation of noble gases induced by water-gas interaction during methane migration to the aquifer. The application of noble gases can bring a new perspective to tracing the source of methane in groundwater and is of great significance to the protection of groundwater quality in shale gas development areas and mitigation of climate change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T09:59:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2f75a0d706534bdcaa5ac3b27f2f5bff |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2305-7068 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T09:59:45Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Groundwater Science and Engineering Limited |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Groundwater Science and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-2f75a0d706534bdcaa5ac3b27f2f5bff2023-02-16T10:02:39ZengGroundwater Science and Engineering LimitedJournal of Groundwater Science and Engineering2305-70682021-09-019324525510.19637/j.cnki.2305-7068.2021.03.007Source identification of methane in groundwater in shale gas development areas: A critical review of the state of the art, prospects, and future challengesZhao-xian Zheng0Ling-xia Liu1Xiao-shun Cui2Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, ChinaInstitute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, ChinaInstitute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, ChinaShale gas exploration and development carry the risk of causing groundwater contamination and enhancing the greenhouse effect through methane leakage. Identifying the source of abnormal methane in groundwater of shale gas development areas is becoming a research hotspot in the fields of groundwater and climate change. This paper reviews the traditional methodology in identifying sources of methane and its deficiency in groundwater application. Then potential and advantages of using noble gases were discussed on how to overcome these limitations of the traditional method. Finally, based on noble gas, the current application status and future challenges of methane source identification in groundwater were analyzed. It can be summarized as: (1) due to chemical and/or microbial processes in the aquifer system, the traditional methodology for methane source identification, which utilizes molecular and isotopic compositions of hydrocarbon gas, has multiple interpretationsand large uncertainties; (2) the non-reactive nature and well-characterized isotopic compositions of noble gases in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and crust, make noble gases ideal indicators of the sources of methane in groundwater. Moreover, the mechanism of formation and release of crustal noble gas prevent shale gas signatures from being interfered with by natural gas; (3) the key scientific tasks surrounding the use of noble gases for methane source identification include quantitatively separating the components of atmosphere-derived, mantle-derived, and crust-derived noble gases from the bulk noble gases in groundwater. It quantifies the solubility fractionation of noble gases induced by water-gas interaction during methane migration to the aquifer. The application of noble gases can bring a new perspective to tracing the source of methane in groundwater and is of great significance to the protection of groundwater quality in shale gas development areas and mitigation of climate change.https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.19637/j.cnki.2305-7068.2021.03.007noble gasisotopesource identification of methaneshale gasgroundwater |
| spellingShingle | Zhao-xian Zheng Ling-xia Liu Xiao-shun Cui Source identification of methane in groundwater in shale gas development areas: A critical review of the state of the art, prospects, and future challenges Journal of Groundwater Science and Engineering noble gas isotope source identification of methane shale gas groundwater |
| title | Source identification of methane in groundwater in shale gas development areas: A critical review of the state of the art, prospects, and future challenges |
| title_full | Source identification of methane in groundwater in shale gas development areas: A critical review of the state of the art, prospects, and future challenges |
| title_fullStr | Source identification of methane in groundwater in shale gas development areas: A critical review of the state of the art, prospects, and future challenges |
| title_full_unstemmed | Source identification of methane in groundwater in shale gas development areas: A critical review of the state of the art, prospects, and future challenges |
| title_short | Source identification of methane in groundwater in shale gas development areas: A critical review of the state of the art, prospects, and future challenges |
| title_sort | source identification of methane in groundwater in shale gas development areas a critical review of the state of the art prospects and future challenges |
| topic | noble gas isotope source identification of methane shale gas groundwater |
| url | https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.19637/j.cnki.2305-7068.2021.03.007 |
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