Alaska North Slope Gas Hydrate Reservoir Characterization

Authors: Hunter, Robert B., Arctic Slope Regional Corp. (speaker); Digert, Scott A., BP Exploration Alaska; Boswell, Ray, NETL; and Collett, Timothy S., USGS.

Venue: Arctic Energy Summit, William Egan Convention Center, Anchorage, AK, October 15–18, 2007 (https://www.confmanager.com/main.cfm?cid=680&nid=5792 [external site]).

Abstract: Gas hydrate may contain significant natural gas resources in both onshore arctic and offshore regions throughout the world. The BP-DOE collaborative research project is designed to help determine whether or not gas hydrate can become a technically and economically recoverable gas resource. Reservoir characterization, development scenario modeling, and associated studies indicated that 0–0.34 trillion cubic meters (0–12 trillion cubic feet, or TCF) of gas may be technically recoverable from 0.92 trillion cubic meters (33 TCF) of original gas-in-place in the Eileen trend gas hydrate prospect beneath industry infrastructure within the Milne Point Unit (MPU), Prudhoe Bay Unit, and Kuparuk River Unit areas on the Alaskan North Slope. Reservoir modeling indicated sufficient potential for technical recovery to justify proceeding into field operations to acquire basic physical reservoir and fluid data to help mitigate the large range of uncertainty in recoverable resource estimates. The project was approved to proceed with a field data acquisition program, including 122–183 meters (400–600 ft) of core, extensive wireline logs, and wireline production tests within the Mount Elbert gas hydrate prospect in the MPU. Successful drilling and data acquisition in the Mount Elbert-01 stratigraphic test well was completed during February 3–19, 2007. Future studies, if approved by BP and DOE, could involve acquiring additional data and include production testing.

Related NETL Project
The proposed research of the related NETL project DE-FC-01NT41332, “Alaska Gas Hydrate Research and Stratigraphic Test Preliminary Results,” is designed to characterize the large in-place methane hydrate resource on the Alaskan North Slope and to conduct field and lab studies to determine the potential for hydrate to become a viable part of the overall energy supply.

NETL Project Contacts
NETL – Rick Baker (richard.baker@netl.doe.gov or 304-285-4714)
ASRC – Robert B. Hunter (Robert.Hunter@BP.com or 907-339-6377)