Conference proceeding
Atmospheric radon, CO (sub 2) and CH (sub 4) dynamics in an Australian coal seam gas field
American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Vol.2013
American Geophysical Union 2013 fall meeting (San Francisco, California, 09/12/2013 - 13/12/2013)
12/2013
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Abstract
Atmospheric radon ( (super 222) Rn), carbon dioxide (CO (sub 2) ), and methane concentrations (CH (sub 4) ) as well as carbon stable isotope ratios (delta (super 13) C) were used to gain insight into atmospheric chemistry within an Australian coal seam gas (CSG) field (Surat Basin, Tara region, Queensland). A approximately 3 fold increase in maximum (super 222) Rn concentration was observed inside the gas field compared to outside of it. There was a significant relationship between maximum and average (super 222) Rn concentrations and the number of gas wells within a 2 km to 4 km radius of the sampling sites (n = 5 stations; p < 0.05). We hypothesize that the radon relationship was a response to enhanced emissions within the gas field related to point sources (well heads, pipelines, etc.) and diffuse soil sources due to changes in the soil structural and hydrological characteristics. A rapid qualitative assessment of CH (sub 4) and CO (sub 2) concentration, and carbon isotopes using a mobile cavity ring-down spectrometer system showed a widespread enrichment of both CH (sub 4) and CO (sub 2) within the production gas field. Concentrations of CH (sub 4) and CO (sub 2) were as high as 6.89 ppm and 541 ppm respectively compared average concentrations of 1.78 ppm (CH (sub 4) ) and 388 ppm (CO (sub 2) ) outside the gas field. The delta (super 13) C values showed distinct differences between areas inside and outside the production field with the delta (super 13) C value of the CH (sub 4) source within the field matching that of the methane in the CSG.
Details
- Title
- Atmospheric radon, CO (sub 2) and CH (sub 4) dynamics in an Australian coal seam gas field
- Creators
- Douglas R Tait - AUSIsaac R SantosDamien T MaherAnonymous
- Publication Details
- American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Vol.2013
- Conference
- American Geophysical Union 2013 fall meeting (San Francisco, California, 09/12/2013 - 13/12/2013)
- Publisher
- American Geophysical Union
- Identifiers
- 991012979166202368
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Conference proceeding