method for collecting and processing in the site of a carbonaceous gas dissolved in water and apparatus for the chemical analysis of isotope samples.

摘要

A method for the on-site collection and examination of small concentrations of a carbonaceous gas, e.g. methane, dissolved in a body of water overlying an earth formation to predict hydrocarbon potential of the earth formation under the body of water, the formation being a source of carbonaceous gas, comprises: (i) at a known geographic location sampling the water at a selected flow rate and at a selected depth; (ii) continuously vacuum separating the water into liquid and gas phases; (iii) separating a selected carbonaceous gas from interfering gas species in the presence of an air carrier vented to atmosphere at a known flow rate; and (iv) quantitatively oxidizing the selected gas and then cryogenically trapping an oxidant thereof in the presence of said air carrier to provide for an accurate isotopic examination. i