Spotlight on microbiology

In order to provide a snapshot of life in the rock of the Cheshire Observatory BGS microbiologists took samples from the boreholes and the recovered cores.

The samples taken will provide information on life in the subsurface and how the microbial community changes within a relatively small volume of rock — something we know very little about. It also gives us a ‘starting point’ to compare the microbiology after experiments, such as heating and cooling of the aquifer, have taken place at the Observatory.

The most important thing to be learnt from this study is whether changes in the microbiology could have an effect on activities planned in the subsurface. Perhaps the microbes are beneficial and can be used to intentionally produce methane or help seal fractures? Or could they change the chemistry of the groundwater or the physical properties of the rock, which could result in clogging of flow paths, corrosion of metal infrastructure or the production of unwanted gases such as hydrogen sulphide?