Comparing Direct Numerical Modeling Predictions With Field Evidence for Methane Vertical Microseepage in Two Geological Settings
The footprints of petroleum microseepage can be associated with chemical and microbial processes in initially homogeneous strata and/or with the fluid transport properties of the rocks through which oil and gas migrate. This work examines the role of such driving factors in two contrasting geologica...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2022.940799/full |
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| author | Vincenzo Costanzo-Álvarez Vincenzo Costanzo-Álvarez Jorge Mendoza Milagrosa Aldana Maria Jacome Marisel Díaz Keyla Ramirez Cristina H. Amon Cristina H. Amon |
| author_facet | Vincenzo Costanzo-Álvarez Vincenzo Costanzo-Álvarez Jorge Mendoza Milagrosa Aldana Maria Jacome Marisel Díaz Keyla Ramirez Cristina H. Amon Cristina H. Amon |
| author_sort | Vincenzo Costanzo-Álvarez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The footprints of petroleum microseepage can be associated with chemical and microbial processes in initially homogeneous strata and/or with the fluid transport properties of the rocks through which oil and gas migrate. This work examines the role of such driving factors in two contrasting geological settings by comparing numerical modeling predictions for upward methane microseepage with some field evidence for hydrocarbons transport and accumulation. The two case studies are a monitoring borehole (BH8) from a landfill in southern Ontario, Canada, and an oil well (Saltarin 1A) from the Eastern Llanos Basin in Colombia. Profiles of relative methane concentrations versus depth were generated using a time-dependent, one-dimensional, simulation of the advection-diffusion equation applied to multiple strata of soils, and sediments. The model employs the layered sequences of these two geological settings. The results obtained hinge on the standard permeability values for the rock types involved and their corresponding flow velocities and diffusion coefficients. Resistivity logs were utilized as direct proxies of hydrocarbon concentrations. As additional evidence for petroleum microseepage, experiments of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) were carried out in drilling cuts of Saltarin 1A to measure traces of organic matter free radicals concentrations (OMFRC). Extractable organic matter (EOM) and magnetic susceptibility data were also considered in interpreting the EPR results. Qualitative comparisons between modeled methane profiles and their corresponding resistivity logs suggest that microseepage and hydrocarbon accumulations are conditioned by the fluid transport properties of the rocks contained by BH8 and Saltarin 1A. Moreover, in most of the Saltarin 1A sequence, the OMFRC profiles follow the trends displayed by the resistivity and modeled methane logs. Thus, the EPR data also indicates that hydrocarbon microseepage and accumulation are largely controlled by lithology. Conversely, EOM and magnetic susceptibility appear to be evidence for hydrocarbon-mediated near-surface chemical processes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T09:43:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f1d18bff910042e8ba99e303e067d747 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T09:43:21Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-f1d18bff910042e8ba99e303e067d7472022-12-22T02:51:52ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632022-08-011010.3389/feart.2022.940799940799Comparing Direct Numerical Modeling Predictions With Field Evidence for Methane Vertical Microseepage in Two Geological SettingsVincenzo Costanzo-Álvarez0Vincenzo Costanzo-Álvarez1Jorge Mendoza2Milagrosa Aldana3Maria Jacome4Marisel Díaz5Keyla Ramirez6Cristina H. Amon7Cristina H. Amon8Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaDepartamento de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Caracas, VenezuelaFacultad de Ingeniería en Ciencias de la Tierra, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral ESPOL, Guayaquil, EcuadorDepartamento de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Caracas, VenezuelaFaculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, Toronto, ON, CanadaCentro de Física, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Miranda, VenezuelaFUNVISIS Fundación Venezolana de Investigaciones Sismológicas, Caracas, VenezuelaDepartment of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaDepartment of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaThe footprints of petroleum microseepage can be associated with chemical and microbial processes in initially homogeneous strata and/or with the fluid transport properties of the rocks through which oil and gas migrate. This work examines the role of such driving factors in two contrasting geological settings by comparing numerical modeling predictions for upward methane microseepage with some field evidence for hydrocarbons transport and accumulation. The two case studies are a monitoring borehole (BH8) from a landfill in southern Ontario, Canada, and an oil well (Saltarin 1A) from the Eastern Llanos Basin in Colombia. Profiles of relative methane concentrations versus depth were generated using a time-dependent, one-dimensional, simulation of the advection-diffusion equation applied to multiple strata of soils, and sediments. The model employs the layered sequences of these two geological settings. The results obtained hinge on the standard permeability values for the rock types involved and their corresponding flow velocities and diffusion coefficients. Resistivity logs were utilized as direct proxies of hydrocarbon concentrations. As additional evidence for petroleum microseepage, experiments of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) were carried out in drilling cuts of Saltarin 1A to measure traces of organic matter free radicals concentrations (OMFRC). Extractable organic matter (EOM) and magnetic susceptibility data were also considered in interpreting the EPR results. Qualitative comparisons between modeled methane profiles and their corresponding resistivity logs suggest that microseepage and hydrocarbon accumulations are conditioned by the fluid transport properties of the rocks contained by BH8 and Saltarin 1A. Moreover, in most of the Saltarin 1A sequence, the OMFRC profiles follow the trends displayed by the resistivity and modeled methane logs. Thus, the EPR data also indicates that hydrocarbon microseepage and accumulation are largely controlled by lithology. Conversely, EOM and magnetic susceptibility appear to be evidence for hydrocarbon-mediated near-surface chemical processes.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2022.940799/fullmethane microseepageadvection-diffusion equationhydrocarbon-induced diagenesiselectron paramagnetic resonanceresistivity logorganic matter free radical |
| spellingShingle | Vincenzo Costanzo-Álvarez Vincenzo Costanzo-Álvarez Jorge Mendoza Milagrosa Aldana Maria Jacome Marisel Díaz Keyla Ramirez Cristina H. Amon Cristina H. Amon Comparing Direct Numerical Modeling Predictions With Field Evidence for Methane Vertical Microseepage in Two Geological Settings Frontiers in Earth Science methane microseepage advection-diffusion equation hydrocarbon-induced diagenesis electron paramagnetic resonance resistivity log organic matter free radical |
| title | Comparing Direct Numerical Modeling Predictions With Field Evidence for Methane Vertical Microseepage in Two Geological Settings |
| title_full | Comparing Direct Numerical Modeling Predictions With Field Evidence for Methane Vertical Microseepage in Two Geological Settings |
| title_fullStr | Comparing Direct Numerical Modeling Predictions With Field Evidence for Methane Vertical Microseepage in Two Geological Settings |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparing Direct Numerical Modeling Predictions With Field Evidence for Methane Vertical Microseepage in Two Geological Settings |
| title_short | Comparing Direct Numerical Modeling Predictions With Field Evidence for Methane Vertical Microseepage in Two Geological Settings |
| title_sort | comparing direct numerical modeling predictions with field evidence for methane vertical microseepage in two geological settings |
| topic | methane microseepage advection-diffusion equation hydrocarbon-induced diagenesis electron paramagnetic resonance resistivity log organic matter free radical |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2022.940799/full |
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