Advancements in Geochemistry and Geomicrobiology of Energy Resources (AGGER)
The AGGER project’s purpose is to advance the understanding of geologic energy sources, generation, composition, movement, and production potential, including resource recovery from energy wastes.
This purpose manifests in three broad objectives:
- Assessing subsurface microorganisms in order to stimulate or retard biogenic gas production;
- Linking macroscale geologic energy phenomena (e.g., petroleum recoverability or carbon sequestration) to nanoscale parameters (e.g., pore accessibility); and
- Developing standardized approaches to evaluate both the resource potential and environmental risks of energy related wastes.
Achieving these objectives relates to the DOI Strategic Objective 3.2 Current Energy Needs Are Met Through Balanced Resource Use, and informs Congress, State and Federal agencies, private organizations, and the public on the U.S. energy endowment.
The AGGER project is currently divided into 7 research tasks, detailed below, and funds three research laboratories.
- Controls on microbial methanogenesis in shale deposits and strategies for enhancement - Task leads: Elliott Barnhart and Matthew Varonka
- Structure and composition of energy materials - Task lead: Aaron Jubb
- NORM products, byproducts and wastes from energy resource life cycles - Task lead: Bonnie McDevitt
- Spectroscopic investigations of energy materials - Task lead: Aaron Jubb
- Remote sensing techniques to quantify energy resources in wastes at abandoned mines - Task lead: Bernard Hubbard
- Scoping innovative approaches in advanced field measurements and data analysis - Task lead: Elisha ‘Eli’ Moore
- Assessing critical minerals and contaminants in coal mine drainage - Task lead: Bonnie McDevitt
The following 3 laboratories are associated with the AGGER project:
- Eastern Energy and Environmental Laboratory (EEEL)
- Raman Spectroscopy Laboratory (RSL)
- Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material Laboratory (NORM)
The data releases listed below are associated with the AGGER project.
The publications listed below are associated with the AGGER project.
Exploring methane behavior in Marcellus Shale micropores via contrast matching neutron scattering
Repetitive sampling and control threshold improve 16S rRNA results from produced waters associated with hydraulically fractured shales
Nanoscale molecular composition of solid bitumen from the Eagle Ford Group across a natural thermal maturity gradient
Fluorescence spectroscopy of ancient sedimentary organic matter via confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM)
Impacts of mineralogical variation on CO2 behavior in small pores from producing intervals of the Marcellus Shale: Results from neutron scattering
Effect of copper salts on hydrothermal oxidative decarboxylation: A study of phenylacetic acid
Coal biomethanation potential of various ranks from Pakistan: A possible alternative energy source
Biogenic coal-to-methane conversion can be enhanced with small additions of algal amendment in field-relevant upflow column reactors
The AGGER project’s purpose is to advance the understanding of geologic energy sources, generation, composition, movement, and production potential, including resource recovery from energy wastes.
This purpose manifests in three broad objectives:
- Assessing subsurface microorganisms in order to stimulate or retard biogenic gas production;
- Linking macroscale geologic energy phenomena (e.g., petroleum recoverability or carbon sequestration) to nanoscale parameters (e.g., pore accessibility); and
- Developing standardized approaches to evaluate both the resource potential and environmental risks of energy related wastes.
Achieving these objectives relates to the DOI Strategic Objective 3.2 Current Energy Needs Are Met Through Balanced Resource Use, and informs Congress, State and Federal agencies, private organizations, and the public on the U.S. energy endowment.
The AGGER project is currently divided into 7 research tasks, detailed below, and funds three research laboratories.
- Controls on microbial methanogenesis in shale deposits and strategies for enhancement - Task leads: Elliott Barnhart and Matthew Varonka
- Structure and composition of energy materials - Task lead: Aaron Jubb
- NORM products, byproducts and wastes from energy resource life cycles - Task lead: Bonnie McDevitt
- Spectroscopic investigations of energy materials - Task lead: Aaron Jubb
- Remote sensing techniques to quantify energy resources in wastes at abandoned mines - Task lead: Bernard Hubbard
- Scoping innovative approaches in advanced field measurements and data analysis - Task lead: Elisha ‘Eli’ Moore
- Assessing critical minerals and contaminants in coal mine drainage - Task lead: Bonnie McDevitt
The following 3 laboratories are associated with the AGGER project:
- Eastern Energy and Environmental Laboratory (EEEL)
- Raman Spectroscopy Laboratory (RSL)
- Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material Laboratory (NORM)
The data releases listed below are associated with the AGGER project.
The publications listed below are associated with the AGGER project.