Journal of Geological Society of India (Online archive from Vol 1 to Vol 78)

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Geo-Microbial Prospecting Studies of Surface Sediments from Petroliferous Region of the Mehsana Block, North Cambay Basin


Affiliations
1 Microbiology Laboratory, CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad - 500 606, India
     

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Surface adsorbed gas surveys and geo-microbiological surveys are well known techniques of petroleum exploration and aim towards risk reduction in exploration by way of identifying the areas warm with hydrocarbons and to establish inter-se exploration priorities amongst the identified warm areas. The thermogenic surface adsorbed gaseous hydrocarbons distribution patterns in petroliferous areas are considered to be a credible evidence for the upward migration of hydrocarbons. The present investigation aims to explore correlation between the adsorbed gas distribution pattern and microbial oxidizers in identifying the upward migration of hydrocarbons especially in the tropical black soil terrain of known petroliferous Mehsana Block of North Cambay Basin, India. A set of 135 sub-soil samples collected, were analyzed for indicator hydrocarbon oxidizing bacteria, adsorbed light gaseous hydrocarbons and carbon isotope ratios (δ 13Cmethane and δ13Cethane). The microbial prospecting studies showed the presence of high bacterial population for methane (5.4 × 106 cfu/gm), ethane (5.5 × 106 cfu/gm), propane (4.6 × 106 cfu/gm) and butane oxidizing bacteria (4.6 × 106 cfu/gm) in soil samples. The light gaseous hydrocarbon analysis showed that the concentration ranges of C1, C2, C3, iC4 and nC4 are 402 ppb, 135 ppb, 70 ppb, 9 ppb and 18 ppb, respectively, and the value of carbon isotope ranges of methane -29.5 to -43.0‰ (V-PDB) and ethane -19.1 to -20.9‰ (V-PDB). The existence of un-altered petroliferous microseep (δ13C, -43‰) of catagenetic origin is observed in the study area. Geo-microbial prospecting method and adsorbed soil gas and carbon isotope studies have shown good correlation with existing oil/gas fields of Mehsana. Microbial surveys can independently precede other geochemical and geophysical surveys to delineate area warm with hydrocarbons, and mapped microbiological anomalies may provide focus for locales of hydrocarbon accumulation in the Mehsana Block of Cambay Basin.

Keywords

Geo-Mirobial Prospecting, Adsorbed Soil Gas, Light Hydrocarbons, Carbon Isotopes, Cambay Basin.
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  • Geo-Microbial Prospecting Studies of Surface Sediments from Petroliferous Region of the Mehsana Block, North Cambay Basin

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Authors

M. A. Rasheed
Microbiology Laboratory, CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad - 500 606, India
M. Veena Prasanna
Microbiology Laboratory, CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad - 500 606, India
M. Lakshmi
Microbiology Laboratory, CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad - 500 606, India
T. Madhavi
Microbiology Laboratory, CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad - 500 606, India
M. S. Kalpana
Microbiology Laboratory, CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad - 500 606, India
D. J. Patil
Microbiology Laboratory, CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad - 500 606, India
A. M. Dayal
Microbiology Laboratory, CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad - 500 606, India

Abstract


Surface adsorbed gas surveys and geo-microbiological surveys are well known techniques of petroleum exploration and aim towards risk reduction in exploration by way of identifying the areas warm with hydrocarbons and to establish inter-se exploration priorities amongst the identified warm areas. The thermogenic surface adsorbed gaseous hydrocarbons distribution patterns in petroliferous areas are considered to be a credible evidence for the upward migration of hydrocarbons. The present investigation aims to explore correlation between the adsorbed gas distribution pattern and microbial oxidizers in identifying the upward migration of hydrocarbons especially in the tropical black soil terrain of known petroliferous Mehsana Block of North Cambay Basin, India. A set of 135 sub-soil samples collected, were analyzed for indicator hydrocarbon oxidizing bacteria, adsorbed light gaseous hydrocarbons and carbon isotope ratios (δ 13Cmethane and δ13Cethane). The microbial prospecting studies showed the presence of high bacterial population for methane (5.4 × 106 cfu/gm), ethane (5.5 × 106 cfu/gm), propane (4.6 × 106 cfu/gm) and butane oxidizing bacteria (4.6 × 106 cfu/gm) in soil samples. The light gaseous hydrocarbon analysis showed that the concentration ranges of C1, C2, C3, iC4 and nC4 are 402 ppb, 135 ppb, 70 ppb, 9 ppb and 18 ppb, respectively, and the value of carbon isotope ranges of methane -29.5 to -43.0‰ (V-PDB) and ethane -19.1 to -20.9‰ (V-PDB). The existence of un-altered petroliferous microseep (δ13C, -43‰) of catagenetic origin is observed in the study area. Geo-microbial prospecting method and adsorbed soil gas and carbon isotope studies have shown good correlation with existing oil/gas fields of Mehsana. Microbial surveys can independently precede other geochemical and geophysical surveys to delineate area warm with hydrocarbons, and mapped microbiological anomalies may provide focus for locales of hydrocarbon accumulation in the Mehsana Block of Cambay Basin.

Keywords


Geo-Mirobial Prospecting, Adsorbed Soil Gas, Light Hydrocarbons, Carbon Isotopes, Cambay Basin.

References