Abstract
This chapter discusses the stable isotopic compositions of bacterial light hydrocarbons in marginal marine sediments. While methane is the most abundant hydrocarbon in marginal marine sediments, other light hydrocarbons accompany methane in detectable concentrations. These are probably produced through the thermogenic and/or microbial degradation processes of organic materials. Distinguishing between these two types of natural gases is important for studying various phenomena that occur within land margin sediments, such as fluid migration, carbon cycling, natural gas (including gas hydrate) generation, and microbial activities under extreme conditions. Stable isotopic compositions of methane in anaerobic sediments are widely used to determine the mechanism and pathways of the production and consumption of methane, because microbial methane in general is 13C-depleted relative to thermogenic methane.
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