Oceanic Gas Hydrate Research and Activities Review Dr. Mary C. Boatman Presented By

Gas Hydrates: Short term Long term What are they? Why are they important? What matters to MMS?

Gas Hydrate: Ice-like structure that traps gases Source: U.S. Geological Survey Methane, Carbon Dioxide, Ethane, Butane, Propane, Hydrogen Sulfide

Hydrate Structures Sources: U.S. Geological Survey and Texas A&M University Concentrates gas with a ratio of ~ 1:160 One cubic foot of gas hydrate contains 160 cubic feet of gas at standard temperature and pressure Type IType IIType H

Hydrate Formation Requires Five Ingredients: Water Pressure Temperature Nucleation Site Gas - CH 4, CO 2, C 2 H 6, H 2 S, etc.

Why the interest in Gas Hydrates? Safety: Hydrates plug flowlines Hydrates can be geohazards Resource: Methane Hydrates are a source of natural gas Environmental: Sensitive Communities use hydrates as food Methane Hydrates can contribute to global warming

Safety Hydrates can form in flowlines and on equipment Hydrates occur naturally in the sediment

Gulf of Mexico

Seafloor gas hydrates exist near upward migration paths

Resource

USGS Estimates of the United States In-Place Gas Resources Within Gas Hydrates

Methods of Extraction Heat Inject CO 2 to Displace Methane Inject Inhibitors Direct Removal Depressurization

Environmental Chemosynthetic Communities: Sensitive Biological Communities Associated with Methane Hydrates Found in Deepwater throughout Gulf of Mexico Global Warming

Environmental Chemosynthetic Communities: Sensitive Biological Communities Associated with Methane Hydrates Found in Deepwater throughout Gulf of Mexico Global Warming

S. 330 and H.R Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act of 1999 To promote the research, identification, assessment, exploration, and development of methane hydrate resources, and for other purposes. Funding: $42.5 million over 5 years Lead Agency: Department of Energy Consultation:Department of the Interior Department of Defense

International Interest in Methane Hydrate Recovery India: $56 million program Japan: $50 million program Canada: MacKenzie Delta Permafrost with Japan United Kingdom, Brazil, and Norway Russia: Messoyakha gas field

Hydrate Research at other Agencies: Department of Energy: Methane Hydrates as a Resource Naval Research Laboratory: Acoustic Properties of Sediments National Science Foundation: Basic Research into Hydrate Properties United States Geological Survey: Gas Hydrates as a Geohazard Methane Hydrates as a Resource

MMS Involvement in Hydrate Research Technology Assessment & Research Program Chemosynthetic Communities Resource Evaluation - mapping of surface anomalies Participation on Committees and in Consortiums Center for Marine Resources and Environmental Technology (CMRET)

3-D Seismic view of Gulf of Mexico Sea Floor

3-D Seismic Surface Anomaly Map of Cooper Field

Close-up view of Surface Anomaly with Hydrate

Vertical view of one of the seismic lines

Whats important to MMS? Short Term: Safety: Technology and Geohazards Environmental: Protecting Sensitive Biological Communities Long Term: Methane Hydrate Extraction New Technology Identification and Valuation of Resource Environmental Impacts