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Resource Characterization and Quantification of Natural Previous HitGasNext Hit-Hydrate and Associated Free-Previous HitGasNext Hit Accumulations in the Prudhoe Bay—Kuparuk River Area on the North Slope of Alaska

By

R.B. Hunter, G.J. Pelka, S.A. Digert (BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc.), R. Casavant, R. Johnson, M. Poulton, C. Glass (University of Arizona), K. Mallon (Consultant), S.L. Patil, G.A. Chukwu, A.Y. Dandekar, S. Khataniar, D.O. Ogbe (University of Alaska, Fairbanks), and T.S. Collett (U.S. Geological Survey)

 

BP is leading a collaborative, DOE-cooperatively-funded project to characterize, quantify, and determine commerciality of Alaska North Slope (ANS) Previous HitgasNext Hit-hydrate and associated free-Previous HitgasNext Hit resources in Prudhoe Bay Unit—Kuparuk River Unit—Milne Point Unit areas. BP will collaborate with the University of Arizona, Tucson, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and United States Geological Survey to provide practical input to reservoir and economic models, to determine the technical feasibility of Previous HitgasNext Hit hydrate production, and to influence future exploration and field extension of this ANS resource. The large magnitude of potential Previous HitgasNext Hit reserves (44 TCF) and concurrent ANS Previous HitgasNext Hit commercialization industry studies make this an opportune time to assess this resource. This region exclusively combines known Previous HitgasNext Hit hydrate resource presence and existing production infrastructure. Many technical, economical, environmental, and safety issues require resolution before enabling Previous HitgasNext Hit hydrate commercial production. Previous HitGasNext Hit hydrate energy resource potential has been studied for nearly three decades. However, operators have not applied this knowledge to practical Previous HitgasNext Hit hydrate resource development. ANS Previous HitgasNext Hit hydrate reservoirs have not been studied to determine reservoir extent, stratigraphy, structure, continuity, quality, variability, and geophysical and petrophysical property distribution. A first, two-year phase will characterize the reservoirs and lead to recoverable reserve and commercial potential estimates. This phase will also define procedures for Previous HitgasNext Hit Previous HithydratesNext Hit drilling, data acquisition, completion, and production. Phases 2 and 3 will integrate well, core, log, and long-term production test data from additional wells, if justified by results from prior phases. The project could lead to future ANS Previous HitgasTop hydrate pilot development.

 


 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90008©2002 AAPG Pacific Section/SPE Western Region Joint Conference of Geoscientists and Petroleum Engineers, Anchorage, Alaska, May 18–23, 2002.