Gas HydrateAn 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
From: Dept. of Energy Statistics
US Natural Gas Consumption Forecast to 2030
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
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)
U.S. Gas Resource BaseOnly a fraction of gas hydrate deposits have commercial potential – but the resource base is still huge
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 ProgramGulf 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
ConclusionWith adequate funding, by 2015 the United States will be
able to determine:1. The scale and production methods for economically-
recoverable Arctic gas hydrate2. The scale of the technically-recoverable resource from
marine gas hydrate3. 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
