Effect of naphtha diluent on greenhouse gases and reduced sulfur compounds emissions from oil sands tailings

• Author(s) / Creator(s)

  • Kathleen F. Gee, Ho Yin Poon, Zaher Hashisho, Ania C. Ulrich

• The long-term storage of oil sands tailings has resulted in the evolution of greenhouse gases (CH4 and CO2) as a
  result of residual organics biodegradation. Recent studies have identified black, sulfidic zones belowthe tailingswater
  interface, which may be producing toxic sulfur-containing gases. An anaerobicmesocosm study was conducted
  over an 11-week period to characterize the evolution of CH4, CO2 and reduced sulfur compounds (RSCs)
  (including H2S) in tailings as it relates to naphtha-containing diluent concentrations (0.2, 0.8, and 1.5% w/v) and
  microbial activity. Our results showed that RSCswere produced first at 0.12 μmol°RSCs/mLMFT (1.5%w/v diluent
  treatment). RSCs contribution (from highest to lowest) was H2S and 2-methylthiophene N 2.5-
  dimethylthiophene N 3-methylthiophene N thiofuran N butyl mercaptan N carbonyl sulfide, where H2S and 2-
  methylthiophene contributed 81% of the gas produced. CH4 and CO2 production occurred after week 5 at
  40.7 μmol CH4/mLMFT and 5.9 μmol CO2/mLMFT (1.5%w/v diluent treatment). The amount of H2S andCH4 generated
  is correlated to the amount of diluent present and to microbial activity as shown by corresponding increases
  in sulfate-reducers' Dissimilatory sulfite reductase (DsrAB) gene and methanogens' methyl-coenzyme
  M reductase (MCR) gene.

• Date created

  2017-01-01

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Greenhouse gases, Reduced sulfur compounds, Methanogens, Sulfate reducing bacteria, Oil sands tailings, Diluent

• Type of Item

  Article (Published)

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-pkhn-sv64

• License

  Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International