A gas chromatography system for measuring carbonaceous gases released at high-pressure and high-temperature conditions

Abstract

Carbonates or carbon-bearing materials may release gases under high pressure and high temperature (HP–HT) conditions. Characterizing the species and quantifying the volumes of these carbonaceous gases are critical for understanding carbon chemistry. However, the volatile nature of carbonaceous gas poses technical challenges in their collection, speciation, and quantification during HP–HT experiments. To address these challenges, we have developed a system that integrates sample collection, gas transportation, chemical conversion, and measurement of carbonaceous gases trapped within the large volume press capsules. The system comprises a capsule-crushing device for thorough sample pulverization, a mechanizer coupled with a flame ionization detector, a gas-sealing and transport interface, and gas chromatography for detection. To evaluate the system’s capabilities, we quantified the gas volumes released from encapsulated kerogen quenched from 1.9 GPa to 873, 973, and 1073 K. The collected gas chromatography signals were compared to those obtained from standard mixed-gases. The volumes of CO2, CH4, and C2H6 in the samples were successfully derived from the signal peak area through calibration. The relative standard deviation value of two runs at 3 GPa and 1073 K is 1.956%, suggesting good reproducibility. Our system thus provides a robust solution for investigating carbon chemistry under HP–HT conditions.