Oceanic Gas Hydrate

Research and Activities Review

Presented
By

Dr. Mary C. Boatman

Gas Hydrates:
What are they?
Why are they important?
What matters to MMS?
Short term
Long term

Gas Hydrate: Ice-like structure that traps gases

Methane, Carbon Dioxide, Ethane,
Butane, Propane, Hydrogen Sulfide

Source: U.S. Geological Survey

Hydrate Structures

Type I

Type II

Type H

Concentrates gas with a ratio of ~ 1:160

One cubic foot of gas hydrate contains
160 cubic feet of gas at standard
temperature and pressure

Sources: U.S. Geological Survey and Texas A&M University

Hydrate Formation Requires Five Ingredients:

Water
Gas - CH4, CO2, C2H6, H2S, etc.
Pressure
Temperature
Nucleation Site

Why the interest in Gas Hydrates?

Safety:
Hydrates plug flowlines
Hydrates can be geohazards
Resource:
Methane Hydrates are a source of natural gas
Environmental:
Sensitive Communities use hydrates as food
Methane Hydrates can contribute to global warming

Safety
Hydrates can form in flowlines and on equipment
Hydrates occur naturally in the sediment

Potential Impact of Natural Gas Hydrates

in the Seafloor Sediments On Deepwater
Production Facilities

Hydrates Form On
Exterior of Subsea
Equipment

Heat From Buried

Pipelines Cause
Hydrate Dissociation

Hydrates Dissociation
Affects Foundation of
Surface Facilities?
Heat From Production
Wells Causes Hydrate
Dissociation

99-00075

Gulf
of
Mexico

Seafloor gas hydrates exist near upward

migration paths

Resource

USGS Estimates of the United States In-Place

Gas Resources Within Gas Hydrates

Methods of Extraction

Heat
Inject CO2 to Displace Methane
Depressurization
Direct Removal
Inject Inhibitors

Environmental
Chemosynthetic Communities:
Sensitive Biological Communities
Associated with Methane Hydrates
Found in Deepwater throughout Gulf of Mexico

Global Warming

Environmental
Chemosynthetic Communities:
Sensitive Biological Communities
Associated with Methane Hydrates
Found in Deepwater throughout Gulf of Mexico

Global Warming

S. 330 and H.R. 1753

Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act of 1999
To promote the research, identification, assessment,
exploration, and development of methane hydrate
resources, and for other purposes.
Funding: $42.5 million over 5 years
Lead Agency: Department of Energy
Consultation: Department of the Interior
Department of Defense

International Interest in Methane Hydrate Recovery

Russia: Messoyakha gas field - 1970
India: $56 million program
Japan: $50 million program
Canada: MacKenzie Delta Permafrost with Japan
United Kingdom, Brazil, and Norway

Hydrate Research at other Agencies:

Department of Energy: Methane Hydrates as a Resource
United States Geological Survey:
Gas Hydrates as a Geohazard
Methane Hydrates as a Resource
Naval Research Laboratory: Acoustic Properties of Sediments
National Science Foundation: Basic Research into Hydrate Properties

MMS Involvement in Hydrate Research

Technology Assessment & Research Program
Chemosynthetic
Communities
Center for Marine Resources and Environmental
Technology (CMRET)
Resource Evaluation - mapping of surface anomalies
Participation on Committees and in Consortiums

3-D Seismic view of Gulf of Mexico Sea Floor

3-D Seismic Surface Anomaly Map of Cooper Field

Close-up view of Surface Anomaly with Hydrate

Vertical view of one of the seismic lines

Whats important to MMS?

Short Term:
Safety: Technology and Geohazards
Environmental: Protecting Sensitive Biological Communities
Long Term:
Methane Hydrate Extraction
New Technology
Identification and Valuation of Resource
Environmental Impacts