Biodegradation, gas destruction and methane generation in deep subsurface petroleum reservoirs: an overview
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Published:January 01, 2005
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CiteCitation
S. R. Larter, I. M. Head, H. Huang, B. Bennett, M. Jones, A. C. Aplin, A. Murray, M. Erdmann, A. Wilhelms, R. Di Primio, 2005. "Biodegradation, gas destruction and methane generation in deep subsurface petroleum reservoirs: an overview", Petroleum Geology: North-West Europe and Global Perspectives—Proceedings of the 6th Petroleum Geology Conference, A. G. Doré, B. A. Vining
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Abstract
Plate tectonics forms and destroys sedimentary basins, accumulating organic carbon and converting it into mobile petroleum which may be concentrated in reservoir traps in which, if temperatures are below 80°C, it may become biologically degraded (biodegraded). The biodegradation process produces altered, denser, heavy oils and methane as a primary product. Much of the world’s oil is biodegraded under anaerobic conditions, with methane being a major by-product of the action of the deep biosphere on petroleum when sulphate is not present as an oxidant. A review of the literature relating to destruction of wet gas and the systematics of methane...
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Contents
Petroleum Geology: North-West Europe and Global Perspectives—Proceedings of the 6th Petroleum Geology Conference

Petroleum Geology: North-West Europe and Global Perspectives–Proceedings of the 6th Petroleum Geology Conference represents key papers from the latest in a series of conferences that have become a focus for the most important issues in North-West European petroleum geology. As well as detailing the advances made in North-West Europe since the 5th Conference, this two-volume set also documents many generic and addresses the European experience in a global context.
The content focuses on the following items:
The global resource context
Exploration histories and future potential
Better recovery through better reservoir characterization
Gas resistance
Atlantic margins: new insights, regional synthesis and large-scale tectonics
Deep-water plays and reservoirs
Understanding petroleum systems
Unlocking the future with innovative geophysics
3D visions
The volumes are accompanied by an extensive selection of core photographs and seismic animations illustrating the many exploration models described. These books provide a significant reference to all geoscientists engaged in exploration and production in North-West Europe, to academic engaged in studying the area and to petroleum geologists interested in generic exploration models.