Abiotic and biotic controls on methane formation down to 2.5 km depth within the Precambrian Fennoscandian Shield

Abstract Despite a geological history characterised by high temperature and pressure processes and organic carbon deprived crystalline bedrock, large amounts of hydrocarbons are found in deep groundwaters within Precambrian continental shields. In many sites, methane comprises more that 80% of the dissolved gas phase reaching concentrations of tens of mmol l −1 . In this study, we used isotopic methods to study the carbon isotope systematics and sources of crustal methane within the Fennoscandian Shield. The main study sites were the Outokumpu Deep Drill Hole and the Pyhasalmi mine in Finland, both of which allow groundwater sampling down to 2.5 km depth and have been previously studied for…