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Mole %
The samples of thermogenic gas, 0.1
collected from recently fractured wells
Biogenic Gas Samples
within one mile of the water wells from
From Wilcox Aquifer
which the samples of biogenic gas were 0.01
collected, are deficient in the atmospher-
ic gases, but are dominated by methane 0.001
through hexane. Furthermore, the ratio
of methane to ethane and heavier hydro-
carbons in the samples is less than 50. 0.0001
Such low ratios are common to thermo- CO He H2 Ar O2 N2 CO2 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6+
genic gases. Detected Gases
The hydrocarbon composition illus-
trated in Fig. 1 can be considered to rep- Fig. 1Gas chromatography patterns of thermogenic and biogenic gas
compositions detected in samples collected in Louisiana.
resent the fingerprints of the different
samples of gas. Clearly, there are distinct
differences between the chromatograph- I have looked at many such cases with thermogenic gas migrating from
ic patterns of the biogenic and thermo- in Louisiana in which natural gas is fractured formations deep within
genic gases and this demonstrated dif- detected in groundwater. In every such the subsurface.
ference removes the fractured wells as case, whether in northwestern Loui- This underscores the importance
the source of the natural gas in the Wil- siana, central Louisiana, and south- of not rushing to judgement on the
cox aquifer. eastern Louisiana, all of the geochem- assumed effects of fracturing, but to
My further investigation of this mat- ical signatures are consistent with take a close look at local and regional
ter pointed directly to an association with the biogenic gas produced in shal- geological factors that easily account for
lignite beds in the Wilcox as the source of low subsurface environments, and not the generation of biogenicgas.JPT
the natural gas found in the groundwater
wells. Lignite, a low-rank coal, is wide-
spread throughout the shallow subsur- Bruce K. Darling is a senior consultant with Geosyntec
face of northwestern Louisiana. Consultants. He has worked for 33 years as a geologist in
Heavy pumping of water wells dur- theenergy and environmental industries. As a consultant, he
ing an extended period of below-normal hasrepresented clients in the petroleum, mining, electric
rainfall (drought) caused lowering of power,and radioactive-waste disposal industries. He has also
water levels in domestic wells throughout directed field programs in Kenya for nonprofit organizations
the area. The lower water levels reduced involved in the development of water resources in eastern Africa.
pressures just enough to allow biogen- Much of his petroleum-related consulting work is in support of producers faced
ic gas to migrate toward pumping water withlitigation over allegations of soil and groundwater contamination associated
wells. We also found, in the drillers notes withleases in Texas and Louisiana. He works from offices in Austin, Texas, and
on one of the water wells, descriptions of Lafayette, Louisiana. He holds an MS in geology from the University of Louisiana at
lignite within the 50-ft screened interval Lafayette and a PhD in hydrogeology/geochemistry from the University of Texas
of the well. atAustin.