Open AccessNatural gas of radiolytic origin: An overlooked component of shale gas
Author(s) -
Maria O. Naumenko-Dèzes,
Wolfram Kloppmann,
Michaela Blessing,
Raphaël Bondu,
Éric C. Gaucher,
Bernhard Mayer
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2114720119
Subject(s) - natural gas , methane , propane , oil shale , radiolysis , hydrocarbon , chemistry , unconventional oil , substitute natural gas , fossil fuel , environmental chemistry , geology , hydrogen , syngas , paleontology , organic chemistry , aqueous solution
Significance Natural gas is a key fossil fuel as the world transitions away from coal toward less polluting energy sources in an attempt to minimize the impact of global climate change. Historically, the origin of natural gas produced from conventional reservoirs has been determined based on gas compositional data and stable isotope fingerprints of methane, ethane, and highern -alkanes, revealing three dominant sources of natural gas: microbial, thermogenic, and abiotic. In our detailed synthesis of published natural gas data from a variety of unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs worldwide, we demonstrate that there is a previously overlooked source of natural gas that is generated by radiolysis of organic matter in shales.