The US Department of Energy has launched a 4-year, marine research project to gain a deeper understanding of methane hydrate-bearing sediments.
DOE says the new project will further the goals set out by the Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act of 2000 by estimating the occurrence and distribution of marine hydrates and laying the groundwork needed to simulate production behavior from sand-rich reservoirs.
A research team led by the University of Texas at Austin, will characterize and prioritize known and prospective Gulf of Mexico drilling locations with a high probability of encountering concentrated methane hydrates. The team includes members from Ohio State University, Columbia University, the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, and the US Geological Survey.
Researchers will begin a focused drilling program to acquire conventional cores, pressure cores, and downhole logs. They will then measure in situ properties and reservoir response to short-duration pressure perturbations.
Post-fieldwork analyses will determine the in situ concentrations, the physical properties, the lithology, and the thermodynamic state of hydrate-bearing sand reservoirs.
Previous marine investigations by DOE-supported joint industry partnerships have confirmed safe drilling methods and documented the occurrence of high-quality gas hydrate reservoirs in areas of the gulf such as Green Canyon and Walker Ridge (OGJ Online, Apr. 17, 2002).
DOE says more research is needed to better define resource volumes and accurately assess the production potential of methane hydrates in deepwater settings.