Methods to stimulate biogenic methane production from hydrocarbon-bearing formations

Abstract

The present invention describes methods of stimulating the biogenic production of methane in hydrocarbon-bearing formations. The present application provides various stimulants which, when contacted with a hydrocarbon deposit in situ or ex situ, induce or enhance coalbed methane production.

1 . A method of stimulating production of a metabolic product with enhanced hydrogen content from a hydrocarbon material, comprising contacting said hydrocarbon material with a composition comprising sulfur, an oxyanion of sulfur or vanadium. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said metabolic product with enhanced hydrogen content is methane. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said hydrocarbon material comprises coal, oil, kerogen, peat, heavy oil, oil shale, tar sands, oil sands, bitumen or tar. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said oxyanion of sulfur is thiosulfate, sulfuric acid, disulfuric acid, peroxymonosulfuric acid, peroxydisulfuric acid, dithionic acid, thiosulfuric acid, disulfurous acid, sulfurous acid, dithionus acid or polythionic acid. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said oxyanion of sulfur is thiosulfate. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said vanadium is vanadium (III) chloride (VCl 3 ), vanadium (II) chloride (VCl 2 ), or vanadium (I) chloride (VCl). 
     
     
         7 . A method of stimulating production of methane from a hydrocarbon material, comprising contacting said hydrocarbon material with a composition comprising sulfur, an oxyanion of sulfur or vanadium. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said hydrocarbon material comprises coal, oil, kerogen, peat, heavy oil, oil shale, tar sands, oil sands, bitumen or tar. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said oxyanion of sulfur is thiosulfate, sulfuric acid, disulfuric acid, peroxymonosulfuric acid, peroxydisulfuric acid, dithionic acid, thiosulfuric acid, disulfurous acid, sulfurous acid, dithionus acid or polythionic acid. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said oxyanion of sulfur is thiosulfate. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said vanadium is vanadium (III) chloride (VCl 3 ), vanadium (II) chloride (VCl 2 ), or vanadium (I) chloride (VCl). 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein contacting comprises injection of an aqueous composition comprising sulfur, an oxyanion of sulfur or vanadium into a subterranean formation containing said hydrocarbon material. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising contacting said hydrocarbon material with a composition comprising one or more microorganisms, wherein at least one of said microorganisms is a methanogen. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more microorganisms comprise at least one species that is not indigenous to the hydrocarbon material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said sulfur, oxyanion of sulfur, or vanadium stimulates microorganisms to metabolize carbonaceous material into methane. 
     
     
         16 . A method of stimulating methane production from coal, comprising contacting said coal with a composition comprising sulfur, an oxyanion of sulfur, or vanadium. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein contacting comprises injection of an aqueous composition comprising sulfur, an oxyanion of sulfur or vanadium into a subterranean coal formation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising contacting the coal with a composition comprising one or more microorganisms, wherein at least one of same microorganisms is a methanogen. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more microorganisms comprise at least one species that is not indigenous to the coal formation where the coal is present or extracted from. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said sulfur, oxyanion of sulfur or vanadium stimulates microorganisms to metabolize carbonaceous material into methane. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said oxyanion of sulfur is thiosulfate, sulfuric acid, disulfuric acid, peroxymonosulfuric acid, peroxydisulfuric acid, dithionic acid, thiosulfuric acid, disulfurous acid, sulfurous acid, dithionus acid or polythionic acid. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said oxyanion of sulfur is thiosulfate. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said vanadium is vanadium (III) chloride (VCl 3 ), vanadium (II) chloride (VCl 2 ), or vanadium (I) chloride (VCl).