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The USGS’s Critical Role in DOE’s Methane Hydrates R&D Program

The USGS’s Critical Role in DOE’s Methane Hydrates R&D Program. USGS Congressional Briefing Series July 27, 2007 Washington, DC.

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The USGS’s Critical Role in DOE’s Methane Hydrates R&D Program

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  1. The USGS’s Critical Role in DOE’s Methane Hydrates R&D Program USGS Congressional Briefing Series July 27, 2007 Washington, DC Ray Boswell, Technology Manager for Methane Hydrates U.S. DOE/National Energy Technology Laboratory

  2. Natural Gas HydratesSetting the Stage • Before ~1980: • Few consider hydrate a significant part of nature • 1982-1995: • USGS documents gas hydrate occurrence in Alaska • USGS reports 320,000 tcf gas in place in US EEZ. • Japan starts massive 15-year program • 2000: • MHR&D Act passed Plugged Pipeline - Petrobras Kvenvolden, USGS, 1988 Glomar Challenger; 1982 “Eileen” and “Tarn” trends – Collett, USGS, 1993

  3. The Federal Interest in Hydrate R&DArising from the recognition of the global scale of hydrates • A clear federal role • Long term, high risk, high potential payoff • Expanding international R&D • Multi-disciplinary • Wide range of public interest issues • Role in nature • Deep sea ecosystems • Sediment stability • Carbon cycle • Global climate • Economic significance • Safety of ongoing E&P • Future energy source DOE and USGS scientists collaborate aboard the JOIDES Resolution: NGHP Expedition 01 - Summer 2006

  4. The USGS ContributionUSGS Science + DOE Technology • The nature of the Gas Hydrate Program is unique in NETL’s portfolio • USGS has been… • a credible, reliable source of objective scientific expertise for DOE and its industrial-private partners • a valued partner in creating a “National R&D Program” • DOE’s gas hydrate program would not undertake a major field program or a new scientific direction without consultation and collaboration with the USGS USGS scientists contributing to field operations; DOE-Chevron Gulf of Mexico JIP – Spring 2005

  5. Dr. Timothy Collett (USGS) at the Mt. Elbert gas hydrate test well – Winter 2007 The USGS Contribution…toProgram Execution • DOE sponsored Field Programs • developing science plans • provide scientific leads during field operations 2007 Mt. Elbert Well, which demonstrated… • …the ability to safely gather data in hydrate-bearing sediments • …the validity of the USGS-developed gas hydrate exploration methodology • …the producibility of gas hydrate via depressurization • …the need to continue to a long-term production test • Experimentation • assuring work is relevant to important issues • pushing the state of the art • Numerical Simulation • ensuring modeled scenarios honor reality

  6. Derrick of the JOIDES Resolution – DGH-USGS gas hydrate expedition, summer 2006 USGS Contribution…to International Gas Hydrate Collaborations • Mallik 2002 test well program (Japan, Canada) • IODP gas hydrate expeditions (Japan, EU, USA (NSF) • USGS: science and operations • DOE: supplemental funding for technology development • NGHP Expedition 01 (India) • 113-day expedition in the Indian Ocean • unprecedented data quantity and quality • Significance to the program • foreign programs recognize US capabilities • grow DOE/NETL expertise • enable valuable leveraging of US R&D funds • advance DOE collaborations Mallik India

  7. Ray Boswellray.boswell@netl.doe.gov304 285-4541 The Doyon 14 rig at Mt. Elbert – Alaska North Slope – February, 2007

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