Water as a reactant and transport medium

 

Water is ubiquitously present on Earth and prerequisite for any form of life. To improve our understanding on the role and importance of water being reactant and transport media in the deep subsurface is the main aim of this research theme. In petroleum systems formation water will isotopically exchange with petroleum constituents. Understanding of these exchange processes and their rates will help in reconstruction of reservoir history and timing of reservoir filling. Here, lab experiments are planned in combination with detailed reservoir studies. The inventory of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) compounds in natural formation fluids will be characterised in ultra-high resolution using FT-ICR-MS to get insight into their origin and fate as well as interactions within the deep biosphere. The induced mobility of natural organic matter as well as the interactions with fluids, rocks and the deep biosphere in geo-engineering systems like CO2 storage sites and geothermal plants will be investigated for process understanding and help in environmental and risk assessment.

Ongoing projects  

• In-reservoir process effects on the carbon and hydrogen isotopic composition of petroleum hydrocarbons 
• Characterisation of organic acids from geological maturity sequences
• MiProTherm – Quantifizierung mikrobiologischer Stoffwechselprozesse zur Verbesserung des Prozessverständnisses in Bezug auf Scaling und Korrosion in geothermischen Anlagen 
• CO2MAN – subproject 3.5 „Organic Geochemistry“ –BMBF, until 12/2011; internal funding in the following, project runs until 11/2013

Specific Topics:  

• Hydrogen isotope exchange processes (reservoir studies and lab experiments ,isotope labelling; catalytic effects; process understanding and rates)
• Natural field studies (e.g. Viking Graben, Barents Sea)
• Reconstruction of reservoir history
• Fluid-rock interactions
• Inventory (quality, quantity) of dissolved organic compounds (DOC) in formation fluids (application of FT-ICR-MS)
• Origin and fate of DOC in natural systems (interaction with deep biosphere and OM in rock/sediment)
• Induced changes in “engineered” systems (e.g. geothermal plants, CO2 storage sites)
• Tracing spores and archaea in geothermal systems