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N. Pasadakis, Technical University of Crete (Greece)
E. Dagounaki, Technical University of Crete (Greece)
A. Zelilidis, University of Patras (Greece)
G. Papatheodorou, University of Patras (Greece)
E. Manutsoglu, Technical University of Crete (Greece)
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In numerous water wells drilled between the Heraklion and Messara neogene basins in the island Crete (Greece), methane gas seepages, at different volumetric rates, have been recorded during the last decades. The gas composition, determined in several wells, found to be approximately 90% methane, 10% nitrogen (vol.), indicating a possible biogenic origin. In this work, we present the main scientific goals as well as preliminary results of a research project entitled "Exploration and evaluation of biogenic gas in neogene formations in Heraklion (Crete) area"aiming to investigate the origin and the occurrence of shallow methane gas shows. The feasibility to exploit methane gas fluxes as an energy source for domestic heating is also considered. The project is founded by Greek Secretariat for Research and Technology and local authorities.
Possible source rocks within pre-Messinian neogene formations have already been revealed. Rock-Eval pyrolysis, TOC determination, standard geochemical procedures (extraction, fractionation) and GC-MS analysis of biomarkers have already been used to characterize the detected extracted organic matter of samples from sapropelitic horizons, in order to establish the origin of the produced methane gas. During the project, a 3-D geological model of the area will be developed based on geological maps, sedimentological surveys as well as geophysical methods.
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