GAS
HYDRATE RESOURCE AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL, ALASKA NORTH SLOPE
HUNTER, Robert, ASRC Energy Services, AK 995, [email protected], WILSON, Scott James, 995, and DIGERT, Scott A., N/, N/, 995
Methane
hydrates
may contain significant offshore and arctic regions
gas
resources. Reservoir and development modeling indicate 0 12 TCF technically
recoverable
gas
from 33 TCF in place Eileen trend
gas
hydrate beneath industry
infrastructure. Potential production methods involve depressurization, thermal,
or chemical stimulation of pore filling
gas
hydrate into
gas
and water
components. Rate forecasts and well schedules, methods typically employed in
conventional large
gas
development projects, help quantify: 1. potential
gas
hydrate recoverable resource using conventional petroleum technologies and 2.
range of potential outcomes that could be narrowed by use of specific
recommended data acquisition and field testing. This systematic appraisal plan
helps determine whether or not
gas
hydrate can become a technically and
economically recoverable unconventional
gas
resource. Reference case forecasts
with type well depressurization induced production rates of 0.4 2.0 MMSCF/D
predict that 2.5 TCF of
gas
might be produced in 20 years, with 10 TCF ultimate
recovery after 100 years. Downside cases envision pilot failure and economic or
technical infeasibility. Upside cases identify potential if both pressure
induced dissociation and thermal or chemical stimulation yield positive results;
extreme upside cases capture full development potential with highly productive,
widely spaced wells. Successful
gas
production from
gas
hydrate would yield both
methane and fresh water for potential use in existing or planned developments.
The
gas
could potentially supplement future export
gas
, provide nearer term fuel
gas
to reduce consumption of richer conventional sales
gas
, provide lean
gas
for
reservoir energy, and provide fuel for potential viscous oil thermal recovery.
The fresh water could potentially be used for low salinity water floods and/or
in association with produced
gas
for steam. The
gas
hydrate bearing reservoirs
may also provide a viable CO2 sequestration option during future
gas
sales and
associated production of CO2.