go to top scroll for more

Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	NER/C/S/2000/00577
Title	Destruction of petroleum by water, minerals or microbes at the base of the biosphere: which dominates?
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Other oil and gas) 75%; Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Enhanced oil and gas production) 25%;
Research Types	Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields	ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator	Professor AC (Andrew ) Aplin No email address given Earth Sciences Durham University
Award Type	R&D
Funding Source	NERC
Start Date	01 August 2001
End Date	31 October 2003
Duration	27 months
Total Grant Value	£128,670
Industrial Sectors	Transport Systems and Vehicles
Region	North East
Programme	ROPA
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Professor AC (Andrew ) Aplin , Earth Sciences, Durham University (100.000%)
Web Site
Objectives	Objectives not supplied
Abstract	We will use novel SPME approaches coupled with GCIRMS to produce the first isotopic inventory of putative microbial and chemical redox reactions involving aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons, carboxylic acids and phenols in oils and oilfield waters. The data will differentiate chemical equilibrium (interconversion) amongst the compounds from the three kinetically driven mechanisms by which dissolved carboxylic acids and alkyl phenols might form: microbial oxidation, chemical oxidation and kerogen maturation/oil-water partition. The broader importance of the results is that they will give new clues to the relative importance of biological and non-biological processes as agents of chemical change at the extreme base of the biosphere.
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	05/06/08