METHANE HYDRATE PRODUCTION FROM ALASKAN PERMAFROST

• Main Authors: Kadaster, Ali, Liddell, Bill, Thompson, Tommy, Williams, Thomas, Niedermayr, Michael
• Other Authors: United States
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Maurer Technology Inc. (United States) 2005
• Subjects: Natural Gas; Tundra; 02 Petroleum; Geology; Engineers; Environmental Impacts; Hydrates; Petroleum; Chemistry; Production; Deposition; Drilling; Geophysics; Weather; 03 Natural Gas; Gas Hydrates; Permafrost; Arctic Regions; Arctic; Canada; Ice; Methane hydrate; north slope; permafrost; Alaska
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.2172/839317; https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc785473/

Natural-gas hydrates have been encountered beneath the permafrost and considered a nuisance by the oil and gas industry for years. Engineers working in Russia, Canada and the USA have documented numerous drilling problems, including kicks and uncontrolled gas releases, in arctic regions. Information has been generated in laboratory studies pertaining to the extent, volume, chemistry and phase behavior of gas hydrates. Scientists studying hydrate potential agree that the potential is great--on the North Slope of Alaska alone, it has been estimated at 590 TCF. However, little information has been obtained on physical samples taken from actual rock containing hydrates. This gas-hydrate project was a cost-shared partnership between Maurer Technology, Noble Corporation, Anadarko Petroleum, and the U.S. Department of Energy's Methane Hydrate R&D program. The purpose of the project is to build on previous and ongoing R&D in the area of onshore hydrate deposition to identify, quantify and predict production potential for hydrates located on the North Slope of Alaska. The work scope included drilling and coring a well (Hot Ice No. 1) on Anadarko leases beginning in FY 2003 and completed in 2004. During the first drilling season, operations were conducted at the site between January 28, 2003 to April 30, 2003. The well was spudded and drilled to a depth of 1403 ft. Due to the onset of warmer weather, work was then suspended for the season. Operations at the site were continued after the tundra was re-opened the following season. Between January 12, 2004 and March 19, 2004, the well was drilled and cored to a final depth of 2300 ft. An on-site core analysis laboratory was built and implemented for determining physical characteristics of the hydrates and surrounding rock. The well was drilled from a new Anadarko Arctic Platform that has a minimal footprint and environmental impact. Final efforts of the project are to correlate geology, geophysics, logs, and drilling and production data and provide this information to scientists developing reservoir models and to research teams for developing future gas-hydrate projects. No gas hydrates were encountered in this well; however, a wealth of information was generated and has been documented by the project team. This Topical Report documents drilling and coring operations and other daily activities.