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300-Myr-old magmatic CO2 in natural gas reservoirs of the west Texas Permian basin

Nature volume 409, pages 327–331 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Except in regions of recent crustal extension1, the dominant origin of carbon dioxide in fluids in sedimentary basins has been assumed to be from crustal organic matter2 or mineral reactions3,4. Here we show, by contrast, that Rayleigh fractionation caused by partial degassing of a magma body can explain the CO2/3He ratios and δ13C(CO2) values observed in CO2-rich natural gases in the west Texas Val Verde basin and also the mantle 3He/22Ne ratios observed in other basin systems5. Regional changes in CO2/3He and CO2/CH4 ratios can be explained if the CO2 input pre-dates methane generation in the basin, which occurred about 280 Myr ago6. Uplift to the north of the Val Verde basin between 310 and 280 Myr ago6 appears to be the only tectonic event with appropriate timing and location to be the source of the magmatic CO2. Our identification of magmatic CO2 in a foreland basin indicates that the origin of CO2 in other mid-continent basin systems should be re-evaluated. Also, the inferred closed-system preservation of natural gas in a trapping structure for ∼300 Myr is far longer than the residence time predicted by diffusion models7,8.

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Figure 1: Location of the JM-Brown Bassett (JM-BB) natural gas field.
Figure 2: Plot of 3He/4He against CO2 content.
Figure 3: CO2/3He as a function of CO2 content.
Figure 4: Evolution of δC13(CO2) and CO2/3He calculated for the gas phase of a degassing magma body.

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Acknowledgements

We thank P. Jenden and M. Laroche for discussions, and L. Price and B. Marty for comments and suggestions. This work was supported by the US Department of Energy, the Gas Research Institute project ‘Advanced stable isotope techniques’ and the ETH, Zürich.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IGMR, Dept Erdwissenschaften, ETH Zentrum NO CO 61.7, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland

    Chris J. Ballentine

  2. Chevron Research and Technology Company , 6001 Bollinger Canyon, San Ramon, 94583, California, USA

    Martin Schoell

  3. Isotech Laboratories Inc., 1308 Parkland Court, Champaign, 61821-1826, Illinois, USA

    Dennis Coleman

  4. Altura Energy LLP, Houston , 77210-4294, Texas, USA

    Bruce A. Cain

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  1. Chris J. Ballentine
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Correspondence to Chris J. Ballentine.

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Ballentine, C., Schoell, M., Coleman, D. et al. 300-Myr-old magmatic CO2 in natural gas reservoirs of the west Texas Permian basin. Nature 409, 327–331 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35053046

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