DENVER, April 28 (UPI) -- Microbes that convert deposits of oil, coal and shale into natural gas may ease future energy woes by forming the basis for methane farms, say Denver scientists.
Until recently, methane deposits were thought to be static, formed millions of years ago with no new deposits formed since. But scientists from Luca Technologies LLC of Denver found live, active microbes in four oil fields including microbes in underground samples from Utah's 110,000 acre Monument Butte oilfield.
Using radio-labeled carbon dioxide, they were able to prove the microbes were making methane.
Active microbes hold the promise of converting oil fields and other hydrocarbon deposits to natural gas production -- a strategy that would stretch finite oil deposits into longer-term sources of energy
The microbes could also turn spent oil fields back into sources of energy by converting residual oil that cannot otherwise be extracted. Luca is currently studying three additional sites that could be converted into natural gas farms if the microbes were injected.
Luca researchers have also demonstrated the microbes can be stimulated by the introduction of nutrients or suppressed by heat sterilization or the introduction of oxygen.
