Bacterial Community Diversity and Hydrocarbon-Degrading Potential as Bioindicators in Prospection Methods for Offshore Exploration

CECOTTI, M; GOMEZ DACAL, ALEJANDRO; PRINCIPI, SEBASTIÁN; PALMA, FERMÍN; SILIO, OFELIA; BREA, FABIAN; FERRO, M.

Montevideo

Conferencia; First EAGE Conference on South Atlantic Offshore Energy Resources; 2023

European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers

Migrated hydrocarbons originated from deep source of thermogenic petroleum, can serve as a source of carbon and energy for microorganisms in deep subseafloor. Key microbes metabolizing those hydrocarbons could be the starting point for the development of novel prospection tools for the exploration in offshore basins. During the scientific campaign named YTEC-GTGM 4, sediment samples were collected by gravity coring in the north of the offshore Argentina Basin. Total DNA was extracted from samples, followed by amplification and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Data processing allowed to identify bacteria sequences previously reported in the literature linked to the breakdown of gaseous alkanes and/or whose presence were also noted in hydrocarbon migration zones. These taxa supported the thermogenic origin of occluded/adsorbed gases confirmed by the geochemical characterization of the sediments. In addition, the prediction of the functional potential of bacteria communities demonstrated much-undiscovered diversity. These results encourage us to explore complementary metagenome sequencing technologies to examine the taxonomic and functional diversity of the sediment microbiome, to confirm the role of these bacteria.