Cooperative Ecoystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU

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The US Geological Survey is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU Partner to provide field and laboratory assistance needed to implement and analyze a small push-pull injection into subsurface coal beds. This work is being done in support of a USGS funded project focused on understanding the ability of microbial communities to convert coal to methane in the subsurface and the possibility of enhancing this process. The push-pull injection will be implemented to investigate enhanced microbial (biogenic) coalbed methane production within in situ coal beds. The USGS requests laboratory assistance identifying the optimal nutrient concentration and a supply of this nutrient so it can be injected at the field site. Permitting assistance will also be needed to determine the correct procedures that should be followed in the field. Following the injection, the USGS and CESU researchers will collaboratively analyze specific parameters to determine the impacts on the subsurface gas concentrations, geochemistry and microbial community populations. Specialized equipment will be required from the CESU researchers such as field laboratory and downhole sampling capabilities.

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