FWP-G308 and ESD00-021

Project Goal
The primary objective of this project is to develop and maintain a reservoir model that simulates the behavior of hydrate-bearing geologic systems and evaluates appropriate hydrate production strategies for both permafrost and marine environments, including thermal stimulation, depressurization and dissociation induced and/or enhanced by inhibitors (such as brines and alcohols).

Performer
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, CA 94720 –  model modifications and runs, project management

Background
TOUGH+/HYDRATE, the most recent implementation of the TOUGH-Fx/HYDRATE code, is a new code, developed by LBNL that simulates the behavior of hydrate-bearing geologic systems. By solving coupled equations of mass and heat balance, TOUGH+/HYDRATE can model the non-isothermal gas release, phase behavior and flow of fluids and heat under conditions typical of common, natural CH₄-hydrate bearing deposits (i.e., in the permafrost and in the deep ocean sediments) in complex formations.

TOUGH+/HYDRATE v1.0 includes both an equilibrium and kinetic model of hydrate formation and dissociation. The model accounts for heat and up to four mass components, i.e., water, CH₄, hydrate, and water-soluble inhibitors such as salts or alcohols. These are portioned among four possible phases (gas phase, liquid phase, ice phase, and hydrate phase) and up to five components (heat, hydrate, water, CH₄, and water-soluble inhibitors). Hydrate dissociation or formation, phase changes and the corresponding thermal effects are fully described, as are the effects of inhibitors. The model can describe all possible hydrate dissociation mechanisms, i.e., depressurization, thermal stimulation, salting-out effects, and inhibitor-induced effects.

TOUGH+/HYDRATE is the first member of TOUGH+, the successor to the TOUGH2 family of codes for multi-component, multiphase fluid and heat flow developed at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. It is written in standard FORTRAN 95, and can be run on any computational platform (workstation, PC, Macintosh) for which such compilers are available. TOUGH+/HYDRATE is fully backward compatible with the formats of the input files of conventional TOUGH2.

During this project, different mechanisms and strategies for gas production from hydrate reservoirs are being explored. The results tend to indicate that methane production from methane hydrates is technically feasible and has significant potential. Both depressurization and thermal stimulation appear to be mechanisms that are capable of producing substantial amounts of methane gas, and that their effectiveness can be further enhanced by inhibitors.

Potential Impact
TOUGH+/Hydrate is designed exclusively to model hydrate reservoir behavior and production potential. This allows users to more accurately predict the behavior of hydrates and hydrate-bearing geologic systems, in the laboratory or field, from the pore to regional scale. The model simulates both kinetic and equilibrium hydrate formation & dissociation and uses state of the art, underlying principles, physics & thermodynamics.

This model will allow commercial operators to assess, identify, and predict reservoir performance/production for various prospects and provide data for detailed economic assessment of potential plays. The model will also help operators identify uncertainties and risks for a particular prospect or project.

Accomplishments:
TOUGH+/HYDRATE is the most recent implementation of the TOUGH-Fx/HYDRATE code which was formerly released during the Spring 2005. This simulator replaces, updates, and modifies the hydrate reservoir simulator work conducted previously on the EOSHYDR module for TOUGH2.

• Previously developed EOSHYDR2, an extended version of the EOSHYDR module for the TOUGH2 general-purpose simulator.
Previously explored different mechanisms and strategies for gas production from methane hydrate reservoirs via a set of test problems.

TOUGH+/Hydrate is available from LBNL[external site] for commercial and non-commercial users. Non-commercial licenses are available at reduced cost to academic and research institutions, and free of charge for use on U.S. Government-sponsored research projects. Details on licensing and associated licensing costs can be found at the TOUGH+ licensing site [external]. For more information on TOUGH+/Hydrate or the freeware version, HydrateResSim please see the “additional information” section below."

Predictions of long-term production for the JAPEX/JNOC/GSC et al. Mallik 5L-38 gas hydrate production research well (from Moridis et al. March 2005)

FY07 Accomplishments
Accomplishments from activities carried out during fiscal year 2007 include the following:

• Completed development of the parallel version of the TOUGH+HYDRATE Code (pT+H) and initial incorporation of the pT+H code into LBNL gas hydrate studies
• Continued participation in the NETL Hydrate Code Comparison Study including efforts to simulate and history match results from Modular Dynamic Testing performed on the Mt. Elbert Well in Alaska under the DOE-BP Exploration Alaska project DE-FC26-01NT41332.
• Initiated efforts to evaluate gas production potential of the Mt. Elbert hydrate deposit and other north Slope accumulations using the pT+H code.
• Completed multiple simulation assessments of resource recoverability from natural hydrate deposits in both the marine and arctic environments and from various geologic classes of hydrate occurrence.
• Conducted a three-day training session on TOUGH+HYDRATE for potential users
• Completed a web-based application for preparation of TOUGH+HYDRATE simulation input files

FY08 accomplishments to date:

• Preparation and submission of multiple journal papers within various scientific / technical venues for all aspects of project activity (see Additional Information section below and Methane Hydrate Bibliography document)
• Presentation and dissemination of project results at multiple major scientific / technical conferences(see Additional Information section below and Methane Hydrate Bibliography document)
• Optimization and public release of the parallel version of TOUGH+HYDRATE (pT+H) code
• Coupling of pT+H with iTOUGH2 code for automatic history matching and parameter estimation
• Initiation of history matching of laboratory data for parameter estimation and code validation
• Continued participation in the extension of the NETL hydrate code comparison study.
• Continued efforts focused on assessment of resource recoverability from natural hydrate deposits (both marine and arctic)
• Conducting predictive studies of hydrate bearing sediment geomechanical behavior and of the corresponding geophysical signature

Current Status
Most work planned under the FY08 work plan has been completed or is well on its way to completion. Highlights of the work accomplished during FY08 are listed in the accomplishments section. Work under many of these ongoing activities continues and project results are being frequently disseminated through journal publication and presentation at scientific and technical conferences.

Project Start: June 30, 2000
Project End: September 30, 2008

Project Cost Information:
All DOE Contribution
FY01 - $40,000
FY02 - $110,000
FY03 - $300,000
FY04 - $229,000
FY05 - $244,000
FY06 - $150,000
FY07 - $290,000
FY08 - $430,000
FY09 - $240,000
Total - $2,033,000

Contact Information:
NETL – Richard Baker (Richard.Baker@netl.doe.gov or 304-285-4714)
LBNL – George Moridis (gjmoridis@lbl.gov or 510-486-4746)

Additional Information:
In addition to the information provided here, a full listing of project related publications and presentations as well as a listing of funded students can be found in the Methane Hydrate Program Bibliography [PDF].

Additional LBNL hydrate-related publications can also be found on the LBNL Gas Hydrate Publications webpage.

2008 Annual Progress Summary [PDF-40KB]

2008 Hydrate Peer Review [PDF-4.47MB]

2008 ICGH Paper - A Domain Decomposition Approach for Large-Scale Simulations of Coupled Processes in Hydrate-Bearing Geologic Media [PDF]

2008 ICGH Paper - The Use of Horizontal Wells in Gas Production from Hydrate Accumulations [PDF]

2008 ICGH Paper - Geomechanical Response of Known Permafrost Hydrate Deposits to Depressurization-Induced Production [PDF]

2008 ICGH Paper - An International Effort to Compare Gas Hydrate Reservoir Simulators [PDF]

SPE Article - February 2008 [PDF-4.0MB] This article, entitled "Toward Production From Gas Hydrates: Current Status, Assessment of Resources, and Simulation-Based Evaluation of Technology and Potential", was presented at the Unconventional Reservoirs Conference in February, 2008

Project Report August 2006:  Gas Production Potential of Disperse Low-Saturation Hydrate Accumulations in Oceanic Sediments [PDF-1.05MB]

Licensing information for TOUGH+/HYDRATE and PetraSim, a pre/post processor for use with the model.

Freeware version of TOUGH+/Hydrate, called HydrateResSim and the associated User’s Manual

Project Factsheet [PDF-1605KB]

Topical Report - Numerical Studies of Gas Production from Several CH4-Hydrate Zones at the Mallik Site [PDF-185KB]

Pertinent Publications:
Moridis, G.J. and M. Kowalsky, Gas Production from Unconfined Class 2 Hydrate Accumulations in the Oceanic Subsurface, in Economic Geology of Natural Gas Hydrates, M. Max, A.H. Johnson, W.P. Dillon and T. Collett, Editors, Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, In Press (LBNL-57299, 2005).

Moridis, G.J. , T.S. Collett, S.R. Dallimore, T. Inoue and T. Mroz, Analysis and Interpretation of the Thermal Test of Gas Hydrate Dissociation in the JAPEX/JNOC/GSC et al. Mallik 5L-38 Gas Hydrate Production Research Well, in Geological Survey of Canada, Bulletin 585, S.R. Dallimore and T. Collett, Editors, In Press (LBNL-57296, 2005).

Moridis, G.J., Y. Seol and T. Kneafsey, Studies of Reaction Kinetics of Methane Hydrate Dissociation in Porous Media, LBNL-57298, 2005 (to appear in the Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Gas Hydrates, Trondheim, Norway, June 13-16, 2005).

T. Kneafsey, L. Tomutsa, G.J. Moridis, Y. Seol, B. Freifeld, C.E. Taylor and A. Gupta, Methane Hydrate Formation and Dissociation in Partially Saturated Sand – Measurements and Observations, LBNL-57300, 2005 (to appear in the Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Gas Hydrates, Trondheim, Norway, June 13-16, 2005).

Gupta, A., E.D. Sloan, T. Kneafsey, L. Tomutsa and G.J. Moridis, Modeling Methane Hydrate Dissociation X-Ray CT Data Using a Heat Transfer Model, (to appear in the Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Gas Hydrates, Trondheim, Norway, June 13-16, 2005).

G.J. Moridis, Numerical Simulation Studies for the Hot Ice Well, project completion report, 2004 (LBNL number pending)

G.J. Moridis, Numerical Studies of Gas Production from Oceanic Hydrate Accumulations, paper presented at the AAPG 2004 Hedberg Conference, Vancouver, Canada, September 12-16, 2004 (LBNL number pending)

Kneafsey, T.J., B.M. Freifeld, L. Tomutsa, Y. Seol, H. Elsen, “Measurements on laboratory core-scale sediment/hydrate samples to predict reservoir behavior,“ AAPG Hedberg Conference, Gas Hydrates: Energy Resource Potential and Associated Geological Hazards, September 12-16, 2004, Vancouver, BC, Canada, LBNL-54863

S. Hancock, T. Collett, S. Dallimore, T. Satoh, T. Inoue, B. Weatherill, G. Moridis, E. Huenges, J. Henninges, D. Carle, Overview of Production Test Results from the Japex/JNOC/GSC Mallik 5L-38 Gas Hydrate Research Well, paper presented at the AAPG 2004 Hedberg Conference, Vancouver, Canada, September 12-16, 2004.

Freifeld, B. M., Kneafsey, T.J., and Rack, F., On-Site Geologic Core Analysis Using a Portable X-ray Computed Tomographic System. Journal of the Geological Society, LBNL-55698, 2004.

S. Hancock, T. Collett, M. Pooladi-Darvish, S. Gerami, G. Moridis, T. Okazawa, K. Osadetz, S. Dallimore, B. Weatherill, A Preliminary Investigation on the Economics of Onshore Gas Hydrate Production Based on the Mallik Field Discovery, paper presented at the AAPG 2004 Hedberg Conference, Vancouver, Canada, September 12-16, 2004.

Moridis, G.J., T. Collett, S. Dallimore, T. Satoh, S. Hancock and B. Weatherhill, Numerical Studies Of Gas Production From Several Methane Hydrate Zones At The Mallik Site, Mackenzie Delta, Canada, Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 43, 219-239, 2004.

Moridis, G.J., Numerical Studies of Gas Production from Class 2 and Class 3 Hydrate Accumulations at the Mallik Site, Mackenzie Delta, Canada, SPE Reservoir Evaluation and Engineering, 7(3), 175-183, 2004.

Moridis, G.J. and T. Collett, Gas Production from Class 1 Hydrate Accumulations, in Recent Advances in the Study of Gas Hydrates, C. Taylor and J. Qwan, Editors, Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers (publication date: October 2004).

G.J. Moridis, Y. Seol, T.S. Collett, S.R. Dallimore, T. Inoue, T. Mroz, and J.Henninges, Thermal Properties of Hydrates from Temperature Data Analysis of an Isolated Formation Interval in the 5L-28 Mallik Research Well, Mallik Consortium Scientific Meeting, Chiba, Japan, December 2003 (in review for publication in proceedings, LBNL number pending).

G.J. Moridis, Y. Seol, T.S. Collett, S.R. Dallimore, T. Inoue, T. Mroz, and J.Henninges, Analysis and Interpretation of the Thermal Test of Hydrate Dissociation in the 5L-28 Mallik Research Well, Mallik Consortium Scientific Meeting, Chiba, Japan, December 2003 (in review for publication in proceedings, LBNL number pending).

Moridis, G.J., Numerical Studies of Gas Production From Methane Hydrates, SPE Journal, 32(8), 359-370, 2003 (SPE paper 87330 - LBNL-49765).

Freifeld, B. M. and T.J. Kneafsey, Development of a Portable X-ray Computed Tomography Imaging System, presented to the Joint Industrial Partnership, 2003.

Moridis, G.J. and T. Collett, Strategies for Gas Production From Hydrate Accumulations Under Various Geologic Conditions, LBNL-52568, presented at the TOUGH Symposium 2003, Berkeley, CA, May 12-14, 2002.

Moridis, G.J. and J. Qwan, Numerical Studies of Hydrate Preservation in Cores and of Gas Production from Permafrost Hydrate Accumulations, LBNL-52828, June 2003.

Moridis, G.J., and T. Collett, Evaluation of Gas Production From Class 1 Deposits of Hydrates, LBNL-52827.

Freifeld, B., T. Kneafsey, J. Pruess, P. Reiter, L. Tomutsa, X-ray Scanner for ODP Leg 204: Drilling Gas Hydrates on Hydrate Ridge, Cascadia Continental Margin, July 31, 2002 Progress Report, LBNL-51327

Moridis, G.J., Numerical Studies of Gas Production From Methane Hydrates, presented at the SPE 2002 Gas Technology Symposium, April 29-May 2, 2002, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (SPE paper 75691 - LBNL-49765).

Tomutsa, L., B. Freifeld, T.J. Kneafsey, and L.A. Stern, X-ray Computed Tomography Observation of Methane Hydrate Dissociation, SPE Gas Technology Symposium held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 30 April–2 May 2002, SPE 75533, LBNL-49580

Moridis, G.J., T. Collett, S. Dallimore, T. Satoh, S. Hancock and B. Weatherhill, Numerical Studies Of Gas Production Scenarios Hydrate Accumulations at the Mallik Site, Mackenzie Delta, Canada, 4th International Conference on Gas Hydrates, Yokohama, Japan, May 19-23, 2002, Proceedings, Vol. 1, pp. 239-244 (LBNL -49764).

Freifeld, B.M., T.J. Kneafsey, L. Tomutsa, L.A. Stern, and S.H. Kirby, “Use of X-Ray Computed Tomographic Data for Analyzing the Thermodynamics of a Dissociating Porous Sand/Hydrate Mixture,” Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Gas Hydrates, Yokohama, May 19-23, 2002, pp. 750-755, LBNL-49859

Moridis, G.J., Numerical Simulation Studies of Thermally-Induced Gas Production From Hydrate Accumulations With No Free Gas Zones at the Mallik Site, Mackenzie Delta, Canada, presented at the SPE 2002 Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, Melbourne, Australia, October 8-10, 2002 (SPE paper 77861 – LBNL-50256).

Moridis, G.J., T. Collett, S. Dallimore, T. Satoh, S. Hancock and B. Weatherhill, Numerical Studies Of Gas Production From Several Methane Hydrate Zones At The Mallik Site, Mackenzie Delta, Canada, LBNL-50257, November 2002.

Moridis, G. J., Numerical Simulation of Gas Production From Hydrate Accumulations, LBNL Report No. 47998, May 2001.

Moridis, G. J., Analysis of Gas Production Scenarios From Hydrate Zones A through C of the Mallik Fields, LBNL Report No. 47999, May 2001.

Moridis, G. J., Analysis of Gas Production Scenarios From Hydrate Target Zones 1 and 2 of the Mallik Field, LBNL Report No. 48000, May 2001.

Moridis, G.J., 2002. Numerical Studies of Gas Production from Methane Hydrates, paper presented at the SPE Gas Technology Symposium, Calgary, Alberta, April 30 - May 2, SPE 75691.

Moridis, G.J., 2002. Numerical Simulation of Thermally-Induced Gas Production from Hydrate Accumulations with No Free Gas Zones at the Mallik Site, Mackenzie Delta, Canada, paper presented at the SPE Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, Melbourne, Australia, Oct 8 - 10, SPE 77861.