NETL: Methane Hydrates - DOE/NETL Projects

The National Methane Hydrates R&D Program
DOE/NETL Methane Hydrate Projects

Gulf of Mexico Gas Hydrates Joint Industry Project (JIP) Characterizing Natural Gas Hydrates in the Deep Water Gulf of Mexico - Applications for Safe Exploration and Production

Last Reviewed 2/28/2013

DE-FC26-01NT41330

Goal:
The goal of this project is to develop technology and collect data to assist in the characterization of naturally occurring gas hydrates in the deep water Gulf of Mexico (GoM). The intent of the project is to create a better understanding of the impact of hydrates on safety and seafloor stability as well as to provide data that can be used by scientists in their study of climate change and assessment of the feasibility of marine hydrate as a potential future energy resource.

The Semi-Submersible Helix Q4000 used on the 21 day JIP Leg II Drilling and Logging Expedition

Performers / Contributors / JIP Members:

Chevron Energy Technology Company ? JIP partner, project management, Drilling and Coring team lead
Schlumberger Oilfield Services ? JIP member
Halliburton Energy Services ? JIP member
ConocoPhillips Inc. ? JIP member
Total ? JIP member
Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC)? JIP member
Reliance Industries Ltd. ? JIP member
StatoilHydro - JIP Member
Korean National Oil Company (KNOC) - JIP Member
Minerals Management Service ? non-cost-share JIP member
Naval Research Lab ? pre-cruise site geochemical and thermal investigation
US Geological Survey ? variety of contributions to the overall science program
Rice University - Geologic Modeling
Aumann & Associates Inc. - pressure coring tool evaluation and design
Scripps Institute of Oceanography ? Science lead
Georgia Institute of Technology ? Laboratory studies; development of ship-based sampling equipment
AOA Geophysics - contribution to seismic evaluation and field site selection and characterization
GeoTek Ltd ? pressure core analysis and transfer device development

Background:
This project is to develop technology and collect data to assist in the characterization of gas hydrates in the deep water GoM. The efforts undertaken in phases 1 and 2 of the project reflect industry?s desire to more fully understand the safety issues related to conventional oil and gas operations in areas prone to hydrate occurrence. These goals necessitate utilization of advanced seismic processing, collection of samples to improve the validity of the assumptions that drive seismic interpretations, determination of the impact on wellbore stability, and the development of field sampling methods capable of providing the needed data.

The emphasis of activities under Phase 3 of the project is on the characterization of concentrated, reservoir-relevant, gas hydrate occurrence in coarse-grained intervals. This work will help to quantify the seismic and geologic hydrate prediction methodologies developed as a part of the project, while also providing valuable insight into the behavior of concentrated hydrate occurrence. This activity will also help to advance the major program goals of assessing the marine hydrate reservoir and determining the technical recoverability of marine hydrates.

Impacts
Information resulting from this project has the potential to increase understanding of risks and appropriate operational procedures for conducting traditional oil/gas activities in areas of hydrate occurrence; advance techniques and technologies used to assess gas hydrates in field and laboratory settings; contribute to scientific understanding of the role of gas hydrate in the global climate; characterize gas hydrate occurrence in the GoM, and serve as vital step in determining the commercial viability of marine hydrate accumulations.

Accomplishments:
Phase 3 (to date)

Completed modifications and testing of the the Instrumented Pressure Test Cell (IPTC) and Pressure Core Characterization Tool (PCCT).
Entered into arrangements with the Japanese hydrate program to allow the testing/use of IPTC and PCCT tools through analyses of core collected during 2012.
Completed the Chevron Leg III drilling safety assessment process, which mandated a Leg III operational plan with very specific operational and safety requirements and that focuses on shipboard logging and pressure core collection to be followed by analyses of cores from a shore-based facility.
Presented project activity, status, and results to date at the 7th International Conference on Gas Hydrates in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The final scientific results of the JIP?s 2009 Leg II LWD program were published in a dedicated edition of the Journal of Marine and Petroleum Geology (Volume 34 ? June 2012) containng 15 full-length papers detailing site selection, field operations, and scientific interpretations of acquired data.
Completed design and construction of a new pressure coring tool, and updated the pressure core analysis and transfer system.
Completed design and construction of an enhanced pressure core manipulation and testing device and several pressure core sub-sample analysis tools.
Completed initial selection of a Leg III science staff and definition of scientific targets and objectives.
Public release of initial Leg II scientific results via the NETL website in March 2010.
Successfully completed the 21 day JIP Leg II GoM Hydrate Drilling and Logging Expedition.
- Seven wells were drilled and logged at three different locations (WR313, GC955, and AC21).
  
  Well logs from the WR313 H well
- Demonstrated the occurrence of gas hydrates at high saturations in reservoir-quality sands in the GoM.
- Found hydrate deposits in close accordance with pre-drill predictions, demonstrating the validity of the hydrate exploration and appraisal tools and techniques used in finding, delineating, and characterizing targeted accumulations.
- Logging featured the use of an advanced suite of logging-while-drilling tools that provided unprecedented 3-D images of the hydrate-bearing sediments.
- Wells drilled at WR313 represent the deepest gas hydrate research wells in the world to date.
- Discovered some of the most promising marine hydrate accumulations in the world.
Completed a detailed site evaluation and selection for the Leg II (Phase 3A) drilling and logging expedition resulting in potential drilling targets within GoM lease blocks WR313, GC955, AC21/65, EB990/992, and GC781/825.

Phase 1 and 2

Activities under phases 1 and 2 have been completed.
Published scientific results of the 2005 Leg I (Phase 2) expedition as a dedicated volume of the Journal of Marine and Petroleum Geology (November 2008).
Conducted a series of workshops to set the criteria for selection and recommend possible sites for Leg II and Leg III field sites.
Furthered the development of pressure core capabilities by supporting the analysis of pressure cores taken during the Indian government's summer 2006 expedition.
Produced and field tested new tools to enable ship-based handling and analyses of field samples from marine hydrate expeditions.
In May 2005, conducted the first hydrate drilling, logging, and coring expedition in the GoM.
- Five wells at two distinct GoM locations (AV13/14, KC151)
- Collected an outstanding suite of well-logs and borehole seismic through the hydrate stability zone
- Collected over 200m of core
- Identified a 60m thick interval of significant hydrate saturation
- Demonstrated the viability of pre-drill techniques and technologies used for hydrate identification and characterization
- Demonstrated the ability to safely drill / operate in areas of GoM hydrate occurrence
Completed an extensive array of laboratory studies on the physical and mechanical properties of fine-grained, hydrate-bearing sediments.

Current Status (February 2013)
Following the events of the Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico, the conditions and requirements for drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico underwent a dramatic change that resulted in a substantial and detailed evaluation of what is plausible (and affordable) during the remainder of the project. As a result of this evaluation, the JIP and DOE have determined to focus the remainder of the project on the development and testing of an integrated suite of pressure coring and pressure core handling and analysis devices in collaboration with research and development experts from government, academia, and industry. The coring tools will have the flexibility to be used from various platforms in future DOE marine hydrate research expeditions. A decision has been made that a Leg III drilling / pressure coring expedition will not be conducted as part of this project.

The project received a no-cost extension to complete ongoing research activities. Technical and planning meetings continue to occur in real time with groups working on design and development of the planned JIP pressure coring system. A decision has been made to base the system on the the prototype Hybrid PCS used by JOGMEC during their July 2012 hydrate pressure coring expedition in the Nankai Trough offshore Japan. The JIP version of the system will incorporate design modification recommendations based on results of those Japanese operations. Constructtion of the system and all necessary service equipment will be completed by early summer of 2013 with land-based drilling/coring tests slated for late summer/fall of 2013.

Modifications to IPTC and construction and shop testing of the PCCT are now complete and a joint USGS / Georgia Tech operational test of both systems was conducted in June at Georgia Tech in order to verify fit-up of the devices and integrated operation. These devices will be deployed / tested through core analysis efforts in Japan in early 2013.

Project Start: September 30, 2001
Project End: : March 31, 2014

Planned Total Project Cost Information:
Phase 1: DOE Contribution:$1,504,855, Recipient Contribution: $3,260,772
Phase 2: DOE Contribution:$10,992,620, Recipient Contribution: $5,613,664
Planned Phase 3: DOE Contribution:$27,718,408, Recipient Contribution: $5,878,557

Planned Total Funding:
DOE Contribution: $40,215,883 (to date $34,751,964); Performer Contribution: $14,752,993

Contact Information:
NETL – Skip Pratt (skip.pratt@netl.doe.gov or 304-285-4396)
Chevron Energy Technology Company ? John Balczewski (jbalczewski@chevron.com or 925-842-0102)
If you are unable to reach the above personeel, please contact the content manager.

Additional Information:
In addition to the information provided here, a full listing of project related publications and presentations as well as a listing of funded students can be found in the Methane Hydrate Program Bibliography [PDF].

Semi-Annual Report April - September 2012 [PDF-1.98MB]

Semi-Annual Report October 2011 - March 2012 [PDF-1.19MB]

Semi-Annual Report April - September 2011 [PDF-1.79MB]

Semi-Annual Report October 2010 - March 2011 [PDF-1.02MB]

Semi-Annual Report April - September 2010 [PDF-352KB]

Initial Scientific Results of the Gulf of Mexico Gas Hydrates Joint Industry Project Leg II

Semi-Annual Report October 2009 - March 2010 [PDF-137KB]

2008 ICGH Paper - Designing a Reservoir Flow Rate Experiment for the GOM Hydrate JIP Leg II LWD Drilling [PDF]

2008 ICGH Paper - Site Selection for DOE/JIP Gas Hydrates Drilling in the Northern Gulf of Mexico [PDF]

2008 ICGH Paper - Subsurface Characterization of the Hydrate Bearing Sediments Near Alaminos Canyon 818 [PDF]

2008 ICGH Paper - Observed Gas Hydrate Morphologies in Marine Sediment [PDF]

2008 ICGH Paper - Constraining Gas Hydrate Occurrence in the Northern Gulf of Mexico Continental Slope: Fine Scale Analysis of Grain-Size in Hydrate-Bearing Sediments [PDF]