Toluene is natural – really?

In 2015, Chemistry Matters Inc. (CMI) provided the scientific support for Nexen at Long Lake during their emulsion release. As part of that role, I pored over data every evening, often long through the night to be able to communicate results to regulators and Nexen management and to put together…

When Should You be Concerned with a Gas Migration Investigation?

An often-overlooked statement in the Energy Resource Conservation Board (ERCB)/Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) suggests procedures for gas migration testing, as outlined in Directive 20, reads: “Testing is to be done only in frost-free months. Periods immediately after a rainfall have to be avoided.” Temporal and seasonal changes can play a…

Methane is from a Deeper Thermogenic Source . . . Or, is it?

The carbon isotope signature of methane is often presented as the ‘silver bullet’ capable of identifying whether soil gas is from a deeper thermogenic source or produced by microbial processes. The stakes are high because failing to identify a gas migration (GM) issue can have serious environmental consequences…

Why ethane is a key indicator to identify gas migration

Ethane is a reliable geochemical tracer that can be used as a single line of evidence to identify a potential gas migration issue. Ethane and longer chain hydrocarbons are produced during the thermal degradation of organic matter (kerogen) over geological timescales. Microbial …