Gas Hydrates

Module 8
References
 Natural Gas Reservoir Engineering by Chi U.
Ikoku

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What are Gas Hydrates?
 Natural gas hydrates are solid crystalline
compounds found by the chemical
combination of natural gas and water
under pressure at temperatures
considerably above the freezing point of
water.
 In the presence of water, hydrates form
when the temperature is below a certain
degree (hydrate temperature).

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Chemical Formulas for Gas
Hydrates
 Methane CH4.7H2O
 Ethane C2H6.8H2O
 Propane C3H6.18H2O
 Carbon dioxide CO2.7H2O

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Physical Appearance of Gas
Hydrates
Gas hydrate crystals:
 Resemble ice or wet snow in appearance
 But, they do not have ice’s solid structure
 They are much less dense than ice
 And exhibit properties that are generally
associated with chemical compounds.

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Conditions tend to promote Natural
Gas Hydrate Formation
 Natural gas at or below its water dew point with liquid
water present.
 Temperatures below the “hydrate formation” temperature
for the pressure and gas composition considered. (LOW
 High operating pressures that increase the “hydrate
formation” temperature.
 High velocity or agitation through piping or equipment.
 Presence of small “seed” crystal of hydrate.
 Presence of H2S or CO2 is conducive to hydrate formation
since these acid gases are more soluble in water than
hydrocarbons.

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Gas Hydrates as an Energy Source
 The amount of methane potentially
trapped in natural methane hydrate
deposits may be significant (1015 to 1017
cubic meters), which makes them of major
interest as a potential energy resource.

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Gas Hydrates as an Energy Source
 Two factors make gas hydrates attractive as a potential energy resource:
(1) the huge volumes of methane that is apparently trapped within the
upper 2000 m of the Earth's surface, and (2) the wide geographical
distribution of gas hydrates.
 Natural gas is widely expected to be the fastest growing primary energy
source in the world over the next 20 years. In the U.S. Energy Information
Administration's International Energy Outlook 2002, worldwide gas
consumption is projected to almost double to 162 trillion cubic feet in 2020
from 84 trillion cubic feet (standard conditions) in 1999. Given the
attractive features of gas hydrates, and the growing demand for natural
gas, it seems reasonable to conclude that gas hydrates could serve as a
future energy resource.
 A number of schemes for methane hydrate exploitation have been
proposed, although at present, technical and economic considerations
restrict production to experimental tests only. The Japan National Oil
Company (JNOC) has been a pioneer in this field, having already drilled
experimental wells in the Mackenzie Delta of Northern Canada with
ambitious plans for further test wells in sediments of offshore Japan.
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Organic Carbon in the Earth

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Occurrence of Gas Hydrates
 They are found in sub-permafrost
locations on land in polar regions.
 On most continental margins of the world
in near sea-floor sediments below about
500 m water depth, or approximately
1,600 ft.
 In deep lake sediments (e.g. Lake Baikal
in Russia).

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Occurrence of Gas Hydrates

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Hydrates as a Nuisance
 Hydrates may choke the flow string, surface
lines, and other equipment.
 Hydrate formation in the flow string results in a
lower value for measured wellhead pressures.
 In a flow rate measuring device, hydrate
formation hydrate formation results in lower flow
rates.
 Excessive hydrate formation may also completely
block flow lines and surface equipment.

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Hydrates as a Nuisance

A large gas hydrate plug formed

in a subsea hydrocarbon pipeline.

Picture from Petrobras (Brazil)

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Major Concerns with Gas Hydrates
 Catastrophic release of methane from the decomposition of
such deposits may lead to a global climate change, because
CH4 is a more efficient greenhouse gas compared to CO2.
The fast decomposition of such deposits is considered a
geohazard, due to its potential to trigger landslides,
earthquakes and tsunamis. However, natural gas hydrates
do not contain only methane but also other hydrocarbon
gases, as well as H2S and CO2.
 Because gas hydrates change the stiffness of sediments,
they may also be a hazard to sea-floor installations such as
wells, pipelines and drilling platforms in deep water.

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Instability of Ocean Floor

Potential scenario whereby dissociation of gas

hydrates may give rise to subsea slope failure and
massive methane gas release

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Instability of Ocean Floor

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Major Concerns with Gas Hydrates

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Possible Methods to Produce Gas
from Hydrates
 Thermal Injection
 Depressurization
 Inhibitor Injection

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Thermal Injection

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Depressurization

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Inhibitor Injection

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