Microbial stabilisation and kinetic enhancement of marine methane hydrates in both deionised- and sea-water

The large quantity of marine methane hydrates has driven substantial interest in methane-gas-fuel potential, especially with the qualified success of Shensu (2017) and Nankai-Trough (2014 & 17) production trials via depressurisation (blighted ultimately by sanding out), building on an earlie...

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Main Authors: Mohammad Reza Ghaani, Jonathan M. Young, Prithwish K. Nandi, Shamsudeen Dandare, Christopher C.R. Allen, Niall J. English
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2021-12-01
Series:Petroleum
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405656121000778
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author Mohammad Reza Ghaani
Jonathan M. Young
Prithwish K. Nandi
Shamsudeen Dandare
Christopher C.R. Allen
Niall J. English
author_facet Mohammad Reza Ghaani
Jonathan M. Young
Prithwish K. Nandi
Shamsudeen Dandare
Christopher C.R. Allen
Niall J. English
author_sort Mohammad Reza Ghaani
collection DOAJ
description The large quantity of marine methane hydrates has driven substantial interest in methane-gas-fuel potential, especially with the qualified success of Shensu (2017) and Nankai-Trough (2014 & 17) production trials via depressurisation (blighted ultimately by sanding out), building on an earlier Malik-2008 trial for permafrost-bound hydrate. In particular, obviating deep-water-drilling approaches, such as the MeBO production rig (without such a drill bit), together with blowout preventers, constitutes a tantalising cost-saving measure. Tailored means of addressing sand production by customised gravel packs, wellbore screens and slotted liners with from-seafloor drilling will be expected to lead to future production-trial success. However, despite these exciting engineering advances and a few marine-mimicking laboratory studies of methane-hydrate kinetics and stabilisation from microbial perspectives, relatively little is known about the thermogenic or microbial origin of marine hydrates, nor their possible formation kinetics or potential stabilisation by microbial sources as an exponent of Gaia's hypothesis, or within the context of “Gaia's breath” as regards global methane ‘exhalations’. Here, for the first time, we elucidate the methylotrophic-microbial basis for kinetic enhancement and stabilisation of marine-hydrate formation in both deionised- and sea-water, identifying the key protein at play, which has some similarity to porins in other methylotrophic communities. In so doing, we suggest such phenomena in marine hydrates as evidence of Gaia's hypothesis.
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spelling doaj.art-6611980a373143739eb6fbcaf51f1d082022-12-21T19:38:33ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Petroleum2405-65612021-12-0174402406Microbial stabilisation and kinetic enhancement of marine methane hydrates in both deionised- and sea-waterMohammad Reza Ghaani0Jonathan M. Young1Prithwish K. Nandi2Shamsudeen Dandare3Christopher C.R. Allen4Niall J. English5School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, IrelandSchool of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, UKSchool of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, IrelandSchool of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, UKSchool of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, UK; Corresponding author.School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland; Corresponding author.The large quantity of marine methane hydrates has driven substantial interest in methane-gas-fuel potential, especially with the qualified success of Shensu (2017) and Nankai-Trough (2014 & 17) production trials via depressurisation (blighted ultimately by sanding out), building on an earlier Malik-2008 trial for permafrost-bound hydrate. In particular, obviating deep-water-drilling approaches, such as the MeBO production rig (without such a drill bit), together with blowout preventers, constitutes a tantalising cost-saving measure. Tailored means of addressing sand production by customised gravel packs, wellbore screens and slotted liners with from-seafloor drilling will be expected to lead to future production-trial success. However, despite these exciting engineering advances and a few marine-mimicking laboratory studies of methane-hydrate kinetics and stabilisation from microbial perspectives, relatively little is known about the thermogenic or microbial origin of marine hydrates, nor their possible formation kinetics or potential stabilisation by microbial sources as an exponent of Gaia's hypothesis, or within the context of “Gaia's breath” as regards global methane ‘exhalations’. Here, for the first time, we elucidate the methylotrophic-microbial basis for kinetic enhancement and stabilisation of marine-hydrate formation in both deionised- and sea-water, identifying the key protein at play, which has some similarity to porins in other methylotrophic communities. In so doing, we suggest such phenomena in marine hydrates as evidence of Gaia's hypothesis.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405656121000778Gas hydrateMicrobesMethylotrophs
spellingShingle Mohammad Reza Ghaani
Jonathan M. Young
Prithwish K. Nandi
Shamsudeen Dandare
Christopher C.R. Allen
Niall J. English
Microbial stabilisation and kinetic enhancement of marine methane hydrates in both deionised- and sea-water
Petroleum
Gas hydrate
Microbes
Methylotrophs
title Microbial stabilisation and kinetic enhancement of marine methane hydrates in both deionised- and sea-water
title_full Microbial stabilisation and kinetic enhancement of marine methane hydrates in both deionised- and sea-water
title_fullStr Microbial stabilisation and kinetic enhancement of marine methane hydrates in both deionised- and sea-water
title_full_unstemmed Microbial stabilisation and kinetic enhancement of marine methane hydrates in both deionised- and sea-water
title_short Microbial stabilisation and kinetic enhancement of marine methane hydrates in both deionised- and sea-water
title_sort microbial stabilisation and kinetic enhancement of marine methane hydrates in both deionised and sea water
topic Gas hydrate
Microbes
Methylotrophs
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405656121000778
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