# New claims, from US Researchers, of abiotic oil/gas. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 5, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-claims-from-us-researchers-of-abiotic-oil-gas/516487 "2009-11-05T23:30:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-claims-from-us-researchers-of-abiotic-oil-gas/516487/1 "2009-11-05T23:30:02Z")
Look ma! No dead dinosaurs! > **[Abiotic Synthesis Of Methane: New Evidence Supports 19th-Century Idea On...](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104123032.htm)** > > Scientists in Washington, D.C. are reporting laboratory evidence supporting the possibility that some of Earth's oil and natural gas may have formed in a way much different than the traditional process described in science textbooks. > [@](#): > > Their study is scheduled for Nov./Dec. issue of ACS’ Energy & Fuels, a bi-monthly publication. Anurag Sharma and colleagues note that the traditional process involves biology: Prehistoric plants died and changed into oil and gas while sandwiched between layers of rock in the hot, high-pressure environment deep below Earth’s surface. Some scientists, however, believe that oil and gas originated in other ways, including chemical reactions between carbon dioxide and hydrogen below Earth’ surface. > > The results “strongly suggest” that some methane could form strictly from chemical reactions in a variety of chemical environments. This study further highlights the role of reaction pathways and fluid immiscibility in the extent of hydrocarbon formation at extreme conditions simulating deep subsurface.