Characteristics of microbial communities in water from CBM wells and biogas production potential in eastern Yunnan and western Guizhou, China

Abstract

The study of microbial communities in the produced water of coalbed methane (CBM) wells is an important aspect of microbial-enhanced methane production. Water produced from 15 CBM wells in four synclines in eastern Yunnan and western Guizhou was collected. Through the use of 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) amplicon sequencing and realtime fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the characteristics of bacterial and archaeal communities before and after enrichment culture were studied. The methanogenic pathways of secondary biogas were discussed, and potential microbial-enhanced methane production was preliminarily evaluated. The results showed that the bacterial DNA content in uncultured produced water was low, so it is difficult to detect. After enrichment, the dominant bacteria phyla were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes. A total of seven phyla were detected in the uncultured produced water, and the dominant archaeal phylum was Euyarchaeota. Methanogens were the main component of archaea. The dominant archaeal genera were Methanobacterium, Methanoculleus and Methanobrevibacter. The community structure of the archaea changed noticeably after four days of enrichment culture. The relative abundance of Euryarchaeota increased to 99% in most samples after enrichment culture. It was found that there was a transition from Methanoregula to Methanobacterium within genera. The relative abundance of Methanobacterium increased, which can produce hydrogenotrophic methane. Combined with the isotopic composition of the produced water and gas, it is considered that the CBM in the Tucheng and Enhong synlines consists of a mixture of thermogenic gas and biogas. The proportion of secondary biogas in the Tucheng and Enhong synlines are estimated to range from 10.89% to 49.62%. There are mainly hydrogentrophic methanogens in the study area, and CO₂ reduction is the main way of microbial gas production. After enrichment culture of produced water in the study area, the hydrogenotrophic methanogens were enriched. These two areas have strong potential for microbial-enhanced methane production.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

eastern Yunnan and western Guizhou / produced water form CBM wells / 16S amplicon sequencing / secondary biogas / microbial-enhanced methane production

References

[1] Bates B, Mcintosh J C, Lohse K A, Brooks P B (2011). Influence of groundwater flowpaths, residence times and nutrients on the extent of microbial methanogenesis in coal beds: Powder River Basin, USA. Chem Geol, 284(1–2): 45–61

[2] Beckmann S, Luk A W S, Gutierrez-Zamora M L, Chong N H H, Thomas T, Lee M, Manefield M (2019). Long-term succession in a coal seam microbiome during in situ biostimulation of coalbed-methane generation.ISME J, 13(3): 632–650

[3] Chao A, Shen T J (2003). Nonparametric estimation of Shannon’s index of diversity when there are unseen species in sample.Environ Ecol Stat, 10(4): 429–443

[4] Cheng L, Zheng Z Z, Wang C, Zhang H (2016). Recent advances in methanogens. Microbio China, 43: 262–283 (in Chinese)

[5] Faiz M, Hendry P (2006). Significance of microbial activity in Australian coal bed methane reservoirs: a review.Bull Can Pet Geol, 54(3): 261–272

[6] Flores R M, Rice C A, Stricker G D, Warden A, Ellis M S (2008). Methanogenic pathways of coal-bed gas in the Powder River Basin, United States: the geologic factor. Int J Coal Geol, 76(1–2): 52–75

[7] Fry J C, Horsfield B, Sykes R, Cragg B A, Heywood C, Kim G T, Mangelsdorf K, Mildenhall D C, Rinna J, Vieth A, Zink K, Sass H, Weightman A J, Parkes R J (2009). Prokaryotic populations and activities in an interbedded coal deposit, including a previously deeply buried section (1.6–2.3 km) above-150 Ma basement rock.Geomicrobiol J, 26(3): 163–178

[8] Gao D, Qin Y, Yi T S (2009). Geological condition, exploration and exploitation strategy of coal-bed methane resources in Guizhou, China. Coal Geol China, 21: 20–23+5 (in Chinese)

[9] Glasby G P (2006). Abiogenic origin of hydrocarbons: an historical overview.Resour Geol, 56(1): 83–96

[10] Golding S D, Boreham C J, Esterle J S (2013). Stable isotope geochemistry of coal bed and shale gas and related production waters: a review.Int J Coal Geol, 120: 24–40

[11] Green M S, Flanegan K C, Gilcrease P C (2008). Characterization of a methanogenic consortium enriched from a CBM well in the Powder River Basin, USA.Int J Coal Geol, 76(1–2): 34–45

[12] Guo H G, Liu R Y, Yu Z S, Zhang H X, Yun J L, Li Y M, Liu X, Pan J G (2012). Pyrosequencing reveals the dominance of methylotrophic methanogenesis in a coal bed methane reservoir associated with eastern Ordos Basin in China.Int J Coal Geol, 93: 56–61

[13] Jabari L, Gannoun H, Cayol J L C, Hedi A, Sakamoto M, Falsen E, Ohkuma M, Hamdi M, Fauque G, Ollivier B, Fardeau M L (2012). Macellibacteroides fermentans gen. nov., sp. nov., a member of the family Porphyromonadaceae isolated from an upflow anaerobic filter treating abattoir wastewaters.Int J Syst Evol Microbiol, 62(Pt_10): 2522–2527

[14] Kinnon E C P, Golding S D, Boreham C J, Baublys K A, Esterle J S (2010). Stable isotope and water quality analysis of coal bed methane production waters and gases from the Bowen Basin, Australia. Int J Coal Geol, 82(3–4): 219–231

[15] Kirk M F, Martini A M, Breecker D O, Colman D R, Takacs-Vesbach C, Petsch S T (2012). Impact of commercial natural gas production on geochemistry and microbiology in a shale-gas reservoir. Chem Geol, 332–333: 15–25

[16] Klein D A, Flores R M, Venot C, Gabbert K, Schmidt R, Stricker G D, Pruden A, Mandernack K W (2008). Molecular sequences derived from Paleocene Fort Union Formation coals vs associated produced waters: implications for CBM regeneration. Int J Coal Geol, 76(1–2): 3–13

[17] Li D M, Hendry P, Faiz M (2008). A survey of the microbial populations in some Australian coalbed methane reservoirs. Int J Coal Geol, 76(1–2): 14-24

[18] Li G H, Zhang H (2013). The origin mechanism of coalbed methane in the eastern edge of Ordos Basin.Sci China Earth Sci, 56(10): 1701–1706

[19] Li Y, Shi W, Tang S (2019). Microbial geochemical characteristics of the CBM in the Shizhuangnan block of Qinshui Basin, north China and their geological implications.Acta Geol Sin (English Edition), 93(3): 660–674

[20] Liu W H, Xu Y C (1999). A two stage model of carbon isotopic fractionation in coal gas. Geochimica, 4: 359–366 (in Chinese)

[21] Liu Y F, Wang B B, Zhang H X, Yu Z S (2019). Study on the microbial community and the type of methanogenesis associated with biogenic gas in Luling Coalfield, China.Acta Microbiol Sin, 59: 1174–1187

[22] McInerney M J, Bryant M P, Hespell R B, Costerton J W (1981). Syntrophomonas wolfei gen. nov. sp. nov., an anaerobic, syntrophic, fatty acid-oxidizing bacterium.Appl Environ Microbiol, 41(4): 1029–1039

[23] Nie Z Q, Yang X Q, Han Z Y (2019). Function and diversity of microbial community in biogenic coal-bed methane with different coal ranks: a review. Microbio China 46: 160–168 (in Chinese)

[24] Parkes R J, Cragg B A, Wellsbury P (2000). Recent studies on bacterial populations and processes in subseafloor sediments: a review.Hydrogeol J, 8(1): 11–28

[25] Penner T J, Foght J M, Budwill K (2010). Microbial diversity of western Canadian subsurface coal beds methanogenic coal enrichment cultures. Int J Coal Geol, 82(1–2): 81–93

[26] Rice C A, Flores R M, Stricker G D, Ellis M S (2008). Chemical and stable isotopic evidence for water/rock interaction and biogenic origin of coalbed methane, Fort Union Formation, Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana U.S.A.Int J Coal Geol, 76(1–2): 76–85

[27] Ritter D, Vinson D, Barnhart E, Akob D M, Fields M W, Cunningham A B, Orem W, Mcintosh J C (2015). Enhanced microbial coalbed methane generation: a review of research, commercial activity, and remaining challenges.Int J Coal Geol, 146: 28–41

[28] Scott A R, Kaiser W R, Ayers W (1994). Thermogenic and secondary biogases, San Juan Basin, Colorado and New Mexico-implica-tions for coalbed gas producibility.AAPG Bull, 78: 1186–1209

[29] Shimizu S, Akiyama M, Naganuma T, Fujioka M, Nako M, Ishijima Y (2007). Molecular characterization of microbial communities in deep coal seam groundwater of northern Japan.Geobiology, 5(4): 423–433

[30] Simpson E H (1949). Measure of diversity.Nature, 163(4148): 688

[31] Strąpoć D, Mastalerz M, Dawson K, Macalady J L, Callaghan A V, Wawrik B, Turich C, Ashby M (2011). Biogeochemistry of microbial coal-bed methane.Annu Rev Earth Planet Sci, 39(1): 617–656

[32] Strąpoć D, Picardal F W, Turich C, Schaperdoth I, Macalady J L, Lipp J S, Lin Y S, Ertefai T F, Schubotz F, Hinrichs K U, Mastalerz M, Schimmelmann A (2008). Methane-producing microbial community in a coal bed of the Illinois Basin.Appl Environ Microbiol, 74(8): 2424–2432

[33] Su X B, Xia D P, Zhao W Z, Fu H J, Guo H G, He H, Bao Y, Li D, Wei G Q (2020). Research advances of coalbed gas bioengineering.Coal Sci Technol, 48: 1–30

[34] Su X, Zhao W, Xia D (2018). The diversity of hydrogen-producing bacteria and methanogens within an in situ coal seam.Biotechnol Biofuels, 11(1): 245

[35] Sun B, Li J S, Cheng L, Yang Q, Tian W G, Li X, Chen H, Qi L (2018). The feasibility of biological gas recovery in low-rank coal: a case study of Jiergalangtu depression in Erlian Basin.Acta Petrol Sin, 39: 1272–1278

[36] Tang Y Q, Ji P, Lai G L, Chi C Q, Liu Z S, Wu X L (2012). Diverse microbial community from the coalbeds of the Ordos Basin, China. Int J Coal Geol, 90–91: 21–33

[37] Tao M X, Shi B G, Li J Y, Wang W C, Li X B, Gao B (2007). Secondary biological coalbed gas in the Xinji area, Anhui Province, China: evidence from the geochemical features and secondary changes. Int J Coal Geol, 71(2–3): 358–370

[38] Vick S H W, Greenfield P, Tran-Dinh N, Tetu S G, Midgley D J, Paulsen I T (2018). The coal seam microbiome (CSMB) reference set, a lingua franca for the microbial coal-to-methane community.Int J Coal Geol, 186: 41–50

[39] Vizza C, West W E, Jones S E, Hart J A, Lamberti G A (2017). Regulators of coastal wetland methane production and responses to simulated global change.Biogeosciences, 14(2): 431–446

[40] Wang A K, Shao P, Lan F J, Jin J (2018). Organic chemicals in coal available to microbes to produce biogenic coalbed methane: a review of current knowledge.J Nat Gas Sci Eng, 60: 40–48

[41] Wang S (2009). Construction of Dominant Hydrogen-Producing Acetogens and the Bioaugmentation for Developing the Efficacy of Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment System. Dissertation for the Master’s Degree. Harbin: Harbin Institute of Technology (in Chinese)

[42] Whiticar M J, Faber E, Schoell M (1986). Biogenic methane formation in marine and fresh watere environments: CO₂ reduction vs. acetate fermentation-Isotopic evidence.Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 50(5): 693–709

[43] Whiticar M J (1999). Carbon and hydrogen isotope systematics of bacterial formation and oxidation of methane.Chem Geol, 161(1–3): 291–314

[44] Xiao D, Peng S P, Wang B Y, Yan X X (2013). Anthracite bio-degradation by methanogenic consortia in Qinshui Basin.Int J Coal Geol, 116–117: 46–52

[45] Yang Z B, Qin Y, Qin Z H, Yi T S, Li C L, Zhang Z G (2020). Characteristics of dissolved inorganic carbon in produced water from coalbed methane wells and its geological significance.Pet Explor Dev, 47(5): 1074–1083

[46] Yang Z B, Qin Y, Wu C C, Qin Z H, Li G, Li C L (2019). Geochemical response of produced water in the CBM well group with multiple coal seams and its geological significance——a case study of the Songhe well group in westren Guizhou.Int J Coal Geol, 207: 39–51

[47] Zhang J, Liang Y N, Pandey R, Harpalani S (2015). Characterizing microbial communities dedicated for conversion of coal to methane in situ and ex situ.Int J Coal Geol, 146: 145–154

[48] Zhang L, He J (2012). A novel archaeal phylum: thaumarchaeota——a review.Acta Microbio Sin, 52(4): 411–421

Acknowledgments

Financial support for this work was provided by the “14th Five-Year Plan” forward-looking basic major scientific and technological project of China National Petroleum Corporation’s (No. 2021DJ2303), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 42272195 and 42130802), and Guizhou Provincial Science and Technology Program: Qiankehe Strategic Mineral Search (No. [2022] ZD001-01).

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2022 Higher Education Press