An Overview of the Natural Gas Production, Reserves, and Infrastructure in the Pacific Region

S. T. Hector
Hobby Energy, Rio Vista, CA., [email protected]

The Pacific Region (West Coast USA, British Columbia, and Alaska) contains huge reserves of natural gas and also consumes large amounts of natural gas, but from disparate locations. This paper looks at both the conventional and non-conventional sources of methane, including methane hydrate. California uses by far the largest amount of natural gas of any state or province on the west coast, but only produces 13.5% of its needs from its own production. The U.S. Southwest (40%), Rocky Mountains (23%) and Canada (23.5%) provide the balance. Oregon and Washington have almost no reserves or production, though a recent USGS study postulates large potential reserves in eastern Washington. British Columbia harbors large reserves in the northeastern corner of the province, but in a geographical location of the Alberta Basin that is isolated from the population centers on its west coast. In Alaska, the reserves in the Cook Inlet have been well developed for years, and have provided natural gas to the Anchorage area. However, by far the largest reserves of natural gas lie on the North Slope of Arctic Alaska. Here, trillions of cubic feet of natural gas at Prudhoe Bay and associated fields lie untouched. These reserves will eventually go on production, either with a pipeline route south to Valdez parallel to the Alyeska oil pipeline, or eastward through Alaska to Canada and Alberta. In addition to the significant conventional gas reserves on the North Slope, potentially quadrillions of cubic feet of natural gas lie frozen in gas hydrate reservoirs.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90088©2009 Pacific Section Meeting, Ventura, California, May 3-5, 2009