Scientists may have found solution for energy crisis
Published Date:
13 May 2008
SCIENTISTS at Newcastle University hope hungry microbes could help solve the global energy crisis.
They are due to begin trials to discover whether the tiny organisms can unlock the vast amount of energy trapped in the world's unrecoverable heavy oil deposits.
Researchers from Newcastle University hope by feeding the microbes a special cocktail of nutrients they can speed up the rate at which the tar-like oil is broken down, and capture the gas released.
Environmental microbiologist Professor Ian Head, of Newcastle University, said: "We have settled an argument that has been running for decades about how oil is degraded in oilfields; it turns out it is converted to natural gas.
"The discovery of how this process works could have major implications for the oil and gas industry because we think we will be able to extend the 20-30 year operating lifespan of a typical oil reservoir."
The full article contains 156 words and appears in News Guardian newspaper.
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Last Updated:
08 May 2008 10:56 AM
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Source:
News Guardian
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Location:
Whitley Bay
