Alberta coal sequencing project
The bacterial and archaeal diversity of Alberta Deep Subsurface Coal Seams Targeted for Unconventional Gas Recovery.
Coalbed methane (CBM) refers to methane, or natural gas, trapped in coal beds, and represents a large unconventional source of natural gas.  New technologies are being developed in enhance coalbed methane production and recovery.  Certain analyses have indicated that the methane within some coal formations is of recent, bacterial origin as opposed to methane generated during coalification.  The microorganisms responsible for this new methane production are introduced into the coal seam via the groundwater flow system and recharge pathways.  The microbial consortia are capable of metabolizing the wet-gas components, n-alkanes, and other organic components in the coal to methane, water and CO2 in a process called methanogenesis.  Methanogenesis in coal beds, however, appears to be slow and needs to be increased in order for methane recovery to be economically viable.  We have been investigating processes such as nutrient amendments to enhance microbial activity and thus increase CBM production from the coal.  Using a metagenomic approach to investigate uncultured coal can greatly increase our knowledge of subsurface microbial ecology and processes.  In summary, the study is conducting research in the following areas:   1) identifying the types of bacteria and archaea found in coal cores, cuttings and formation water samples taken from CBM sites in Alberta, Canada.,   2) linking types of bacteria and archaea to coal rank, formation, hydrology and depths, and   3) designing specific primers for methanogens found in coal seams. This research was supported by funding from Genome Canada, Genome Alberta, the Government of Alberta and Genome BC.
The goals of this study is to do a 16S DNA survey of the bacterial and archaeal species found in coal seams located in Alberta.  Bacteria and Archaea suspected of being involved in biogenic methane production from coal will be investigated further using a metagenomic approach.  Understanding the types of microorganisms present and their roles will help to define processes that may enhance biogenic methane production.