Detecting Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation in a Model Well-Bore Using Downhole Low-Field NMR

Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) has been widely researched recently due to its relevance for subsurface engineering applications including sealing leakage pathways and permeability modification. These applications of MICP are inherently difficult to monitor nondestructively in time...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & technology 2017-02, Vol.51 (3), p.1537-1543
Main Authors: Kirkland, Catherine M, Zanetti, Sam, Grunewald, Elliot, Walsh, David O, Codd, Sarah L, Phillips, Adrienne J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacteria
Calcium Carbonate - chemistry
Chemical precipitation
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
NMR
Nuclear magnetic resonance
Permeability
Porosity
Sporosarcina - metabolism
Sporosarcina pasteurii
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Summary:Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) has been widely researched recently due to its relevance for subsurface engineering applications including sealing leakage pathways and permeability modification. These applications of MICP are inherently difficult to monitor nondestructively in time and space. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) can characterize the pore size distributions, porosity, and permeability of subsurface formations. This investigation used a low-field NMR well-logging probe to monitor MICP in a sand-filled bioreactor, measuring NMR signal amplitude and T 2 relaxation over an 8 day experimental period. Following inoculation with the ureolytic bacteria, Sporosarcina pasteurii, and pulsed injections of urea and calcium substrate, the NMR measured water content in the reactor decreased to 76% of its initial value. T 2 relaxation distributions bifurcated from a single mode centered about approximately 650 ms into a fast decaying population (T 2 less than 10 ms) and a larger population with T 2 greater than 1000 ms. The combination of changes in pore volume and surface minerology accounts for the changes in the T 2 distributions. Destructive sampling confirmed final porosity was approximately 88% of the original value. These results indicate the low-field NMR well-logging probe is sensitive to the physical and chemical changes caused by MICP in a laboratory bioreactor.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/acs.est.6b04833