Dr. Coffin is the Principal Investigator of an National Science Foundation Sponsored Project to conduct 16 weeks at sea over two years working down in the Ross Sea off the coast of Antarctica on deep ocean warming and the volumes of methane and oil in this region. Expectations from this research include: 1) Ross Sea high resolution seismic data; 2) an expanded Antarctica coastal seismic data… Read more »
Paleoceanography And Paleoclimatology Stott, L., Davy, B. Shao, J. Coffin, R., Pecher, I., Neil, H., Rose, P. Seafloor pockmarks of varying size occur over an area of 50,000 km2 on the Chatham Rise, Canterbury Shelf and Inner Bounty Trough, New Zealand. The pockmarks are concentrated above the flat‐subducted Hikurangi Plateau. Echosounder data identify recurrent episodes of pockmark formation at ~100,000‐year frequency coinciding with Pleistocene glacial terminations…. Read more »
Paleoceanography Shao, J., Stott, L., Gray, W.R., Rae, J.W.B., Greenop, R., Pecher, I., Coffin, R.B., Neil, H. Identifying processes within the Earth System that have modulated atmospheric pCO2 during each glacial cycle of the late Pleistocene stands as one of the grand challenges in climate science. The growing array of surface ocean pH estimates from the boron isotope proxy across the last glacial termination may reveal… Read more »
During 2004 Hurricane Ivan in the Gulf of Mexico, Taylor Energy’s MC20 oil platform was destroyed with a storm surge that created an underwater mudslide and buried the subsea infrastructure under 100 feet of sediment. In 2007, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement directed Taylor Energy to remove the platform deck, remove sub-sea debris, decommission the oil pipeline, attempt to contain the leaking oil, and… Read more »
New writings include articles on the following subjects: Carbon Stable and Radio Isotope Analysis to Identify Methane Sources During a Remedial Action Carbon Isotope Analysis to Confirm Petroleum Natural Attenuation in the Vadose Zone Norfolk Naval Air Base Concentrations and Stable Isotope Values of BTEX in Gasoline-Contaminated Groundwater, Port Hueneme Naval Air Station PAH Source Evaluation, Liepaja Harbor, Latvia Transport, Deposition and Biodegradation of Particle Bound… Read more »
Methanogens/Archaea produce methane. They are often the dominant microbes in reduced environments. Methanogenesis is a requisite component of conventional anaerobic bioremediation. If Archaea are not controlled, then in situ remedial actions employing conventional (i.e., no active control of Archaea) ERD amendments such as oils/lecithins, lactates/sugars, simple hydrogen release compounds or conventional ISCR reagents can generate excessive amounts of methane. At several sites where these conventional ERD/ISCR… Read more »
Methanogens/Archaea may be dominant microbes in reduced environments, and methanogenesis can be a component of anaerobic bioremediation. If Archaea are not controlled, then in situ remedial actions employing conventional (i.e., no active control of Archaea) amendments such as oils/lecithins, lactates/sugars, simple hydrogen release compounds, conventional/original ISCR reagents, etc. can generate excessive amounts of methane (CH4) during the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2). Methane can also be… Read more »
Strategic Carbon co-founder Dr. Richard Coffin led the 11th International Workshop on Methane Hydrate Research and Development in Corpus Christi, Texas. This workshop was created for hydrate researchers and stakeholders to freely exchange information and identify research priorities in an effort to promote collaboration. The past ten workshops have been co-organized by Professors Bjørn Kvamme (University of Bergen, Norway), Tsutomu Uchida (Hokkaido University, Japan), Stephen Masutani (University… Read more »
Strategic Carbon co-founder Dr. Richard Coffin and Dr. James Mueller (Provectus Environmental Products, Inc) conducted field sampling that focus on a cleaning facility near Detroit, Michigan. Provectus Environmental Products’ field bio-enhancement remediation technology was evaluated as a source of high methane concentrations below manhole covers near a treatment site. Stable carbon and radiocarbon isotope analysis developed and tested by Strategic Carbon experts was applied to assess… Read more »
Carbon isotope geochemistry is applied to understand spatial variation in tundra and methane contribution to coastal shallow sediment cycling across the Alaskan Shelf in the Beaufort Sea. This study shows strong spatial variation in the carbon sources that is a function of tundra melting and riverine input and past ice scouring that is driving sediment deposition and methane production. → Go to Full Report