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Laboratory Simulations of Abiotic Hydrocarbon Formation in Earth's Deep Subsurface
Abstract
Research Article| January 01, 2013 Laboratory Simulations of Abiotic Hydrocarbon Formation in Earth's Deep Subsurface Thomas M. McCollom Thomas M. McCollom Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder. Colorado 80309, U.S.A., mccollom@lasp.colorado.edu Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Thomas M. McCollom Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder. Colorado 80309, U.S.A., mccollom@lasp.colorado.edu Publisher: Mineralogical Society of America First Online: 09 Mar 2017 © 2013 Mineralogical Society of America Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry (2013) 75 (1): 467–494. https://doi.org/10.2138/rmg.2013.75.15 Article history First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Thomas M. McCollom; Laboratory Simulations of Abiotic Hydrocarbon Formation in Earth's Deep Subsurface. Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry 2013;; 75 (1): 467–494. doi: https://doi.org/10.2138/rmg.2013.75.15 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyReviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry Search Advanced Search In recent years, methane and other light hydrocarbons with an apparently abiotic origin have been identified in an increasing number of geologic fluids on Earth. These compounds have been found in a variety of geologic settings, including seafloor hydrothermal systems, fracture networks in crystalline rocks from continental and oceanic crust, volcanic gases, and gas seeps from serpentinized rocks (e.g., Abrajano et al. 1990; Kelley 1996; Sherwood Lollar 2002, 2008; Fiebig et al. 2007, 2009; Proskurowski et al. 2008; Taran et al. 2010b). Understanding the origin of these compounds has significant implications for... You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.
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“but most of Earth’s crust is not sufficiently reducing to have such catalysts (41).”
From Disequilibrium biosignatures over Earth history and implications for detecting exoplanet life (2018) · cites this paper as [41]
In the citing paper
“Any deep mantle CH4 would be converted to CO2 by rapid equilibration long before reaching the surface (41).”
From Disequilibrium biosignatures over Earth history and implications for detecting exoplanet life (2018) · cites this paper as [41]
In the citing paper
“Pressure-temperature conditions in the Earth’s shallow mantle (<~100 km) strongly favor CO2 over CH4.”
From Disequilibrium biosignatures over Earth history and implications for detecting exoplanet life (2018) · cites this paper as [41]
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BackgroundMorpho- and Chemo-Fossil Evidence of Early Life
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“…によれば,母岩と成因的に同源の岩片である場合 (同源捕獲岩またはオートリス)と成因的に関係 のない岩片の場合(外来捕獲岩)とに分けられ る(地学団体研究会, 2005)。狭義のゼノリスは, 後者を意味する。したがって,マントルゼノリ ス(Mantle xenoliths)は,別の場所で捕獲され たマントルの岩石片と定義することができる。で は,マントルゼノリスを読み解くことで,地球の 体積の約 8割を占めるマントルの諸性状,地球 深部の物質科学的な側面,とくに炭素や窒素など の親生元素の挙動をすべて理解できるのだろう か。 原子番号 6の炭素(C)は,太陽系において, *…”
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“…= clinopyroxene; BMS = base metal sulphides; PGM = platinum-group minerals. reducing conditions that promote the abiotic synthesis of diverse organic compounds, including methane, short-chain hydrocarbons, organic acids 31 , and carbonaceous matter, which are predominantly composed of PAHs 41,42 .”
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“Methane is thermodynamically stable in deep hydrothermal fluids, whereas reversible metastable equilibria are established between non-methane HC (Seewald, 1994, 2001; McCollom, 2013; Manning et al., 2013; McDermott et al., 2015; Tiraboschi et al., 2022).”
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Model Reduction By Kautz Filters
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Water Gas May Not Shift under Extreme Conditions of Pressure and TemperaturePreprint
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“Recent microbiological and 554 metagenomic studies indicate that microbial life can be sustained within the lithosphere and 555 provide evidence that microbial utilization of H2, CH4 and formate may be common in different 556 serpentinization systems (e.g., Brazelton et al., 2012; Lang et al., 2018; Schrenk et al., 20…”
InfluentialWater Gas May Not Shift in Deep EarthPreprint
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Unconventional water and hydrous mineral formation from dry minerals and H 2 fluids
Brovarone, A. V., Thomassot, É., Tumiati, S., Siron, G., Consuma, G., Alpermann, T., Ague, J. J., Nestola, F., Giovannelli, D., Sverjensky, D. A., et al. (2026) · Science Advances · doi:10.1126/sciadv.aee6559
“FTT reactions like reaction 4 have instead been widely studied in water-rich environments such as at mid-ocean ridges for their capability to produce light hydrocarbons abiotically [e.g., ( 43 , 44 )].”
Abiotic formation of 13C-depleted graphitic carbon during serpentinization
(315279), L. Z., Wang, Q., Xian, H., Yang, Y., Ding, X., & Xie, L. (2026) · Chemical Geology · doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2026.123556
Physical and geological constraints on natural hydrogen accumulation beneath deep seafloors
Niu, Y. (2026) · Results in Earth Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.rines.2026.100166
Zhao, Z., Lu, H., Peng, P., & Hsu, C. S. (2026) · International Journal of Earth Sciences · doi:10.1007/s00531-026-02591-w
“Consequently, hydrothermal FTT synthesis has been considered inefficient in some studies (McCollom 2013, 2016; McCollom et al. 2015).”
Moulay, V., Freissinet, C., Boulesteix, D., Abello, A., Buch, A., Gomez, F., & Szopa, C. (2026) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2026.117226
Gelato: A Mission Concept for Comet Surface Sample Return
Kinczyk, M. J., Buffo, G. E., Aaron-Hennig, L. M., Boone, S., Frizzell, E. S., Flom, A., Raj, C. G., Harris, C., Hyder, A., Idini, B., et al. (2026) · The Planetary Science Journal · doi:10.3847/psj/ae771f
“The resulting organics are predicted to be isotopically depleted compared to organics produced in cold dense molecular clouds, and moreover, FTT chemistry in and of itself preferably incorporates isotopically light elements ( T. M. McCollom 2013b ) .”
Kumawat, P., Scicchitano, M. R., Frederichs, T. W., Menapace, W., Wheat, C. G., Albers, E., & Bach, W. (2026) · Chemical Geology · doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2026.123714
Metadata
- Authors
- McCollom, T. M.
- Affiliations
- University of Colorado Boulder (US)
- Corresponding author
- McCollom, T. M.
- ORCID
- McCollom, T. M.
- Venue
- Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry
- Publisher
- Mineralogical Society of America
- Published
- 2013-01-01
- Volume
- 75
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 467-494
- ISSN
- 1529-6466 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2116419174
- Cited by
- 285
- References
- 99
- Citations by year
- 2026: 21 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 22 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 13
- FWCI
- 26.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geology › Hydrocarbon exploration and reservoir analysis
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
- Keywords
- methane, deep subsurface, laboratory simulation, serpentinization, serpentinized ultramafic rocks, hydrogen production, microbial methane production, deep biosphere, hydrothermal systems, gas seepage, volcanic gases, fracture networks, continental crust, oceanic crust
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