Transcript Gas Hydrate A Potential Resource for America’s Energy Future

Gas Hydrate
An Emerging Resource for America’s Energy Future
Art Johnson
Hydrate Energy International
Natural Gas is a Critical Component of U.S.
Energy Supply
Total 2008 U.S. Gas Demand: 23.9 TCF
US Natural Gas Consumption
Forecast to 2030
From: Dept. of Energy Statistics
What is Gas Hydrate?
• Gas Hydrate is a crystalline solid
composed of water and gas. Methane
is the most common hydrate-forming
gas, but gas hydrates can form from
ethane, CO2, propane, and other
gases.
• One volume hydrate typically
contains about 160 volumes
methane gas.
• Stable at low Temperature and high
Pressure
• Occurs abundantly in nature
– In continental margin sediments and
Arctic permafrost
Global Carbon Distribution
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Total amount is not known with certainty,
but is enormous
U.S. Gas Resource Base
Only a fraction of gas hydrate deposits have commercial
potential – but the resource base is still huge
Arctic sandstones with infrastructure
(~10’s of Tcf)
Arctic sandstones away from
infrastructure (100’s of Tcf)
Deepwater sandstones
(1000’s of Tcf)
Deepwater permeable, non-sandstone
(unknown)
Seafloor mounds, etc.
(unknown)
Deepwater, low permeability
(100,000’s of Tcf)
Reserves (200 Tcf)
Res. growth &
undiscovered
(1,500 Tcf)
Remaining
unrecoverable
(unknown)
Gas Hydrate
Other Gas Resources
Challenges to Commercial Development
• Identifying deposits where hydrate is
concentrated and has resource potential
• Establishing commercial viability
• Establishing environmental impact
assessment protocol
Production Scenarios
Gas Hydrate is a stable solid at low temperatures
and high pressures. The primary methods for
producing natural gas from hydrate are:
• Depressurization
• Heating
• Chemical Exchange (with CO2)
These methods involve technological and
economic challenges
Highlights of U.S. Hydrate Program
North Slope of Alaska – Joint industry, university,
government program led by BP.
• 2007 drilling program confirmed exploration
model.
• Confirmed producibility.
• Long-term production
test planned for 2010.
• CO2 sequestration test
planned for 2010.
Methane
CO2
Highlights of U.S. Hydrate Program
Gulf of Mexico
• 2008 MMS Assessment:
Mean estimate of 6,717 TCF in sandstone reservoirs
• April, 2009 Drilling program led by Chevron
logged hydrate-bearing sands.
Results of Recent International Programs
• Canada – Successful 2008 Arctic production test
at limited scale.
• Japan – Extensive drilling programs. Moving
forward with plans for production test by 2011.
• India – Extensive 2006 drilling program.
• China – Initiated drilling program in 2007
• S. Korea – Initiated drilling program in 2007
Significant U.S. Collaboration
Conclusion
With adequate funding, by 2015 the United States will be
able to determine:
1. The scale and production methods for economicallyrecoverable Arctic gas hydrate
2. The scale of the technically-recoverable resource from
marine gas hydrate
3. The environmental impact of hydrate gas production and
hydrate's role in the environment
This is an important step to ensure America’s energy
security – a transition to renewables