Unconventional Sources

-Gas hydrates
Unconventional Oil
 Sources produced or extracted using techniques
other than the traditional well methods.

 Less efficient .

 More environmental impacts than conventional

production.

 Example: Gas Hydrates, Heavy Oil & Shale Gas.

Gas Hydrates
 Ice-like crystals act as a cage of water
molecules with methane gas trapped in.
 Estimated gas hydrate reserves across the
globe are about twice the known oil and gas
reserves.
 Depth >300-500m.
Cont…
 Formed at very high pressures and very low temperatures.

 Area with higher sedimentation rates are favourable.

 It can hold about six times as much gas as free gas held in same place.

 One cubic meter of gas hydrates is converted into 164 cubic meter of gas
under atmospheric conditions.

 Found in two discrete geological situations:

o Marine shelf sediments
o On-shore polar regions beneath permafrost

 Russia-only country where gas hydrates have been exploited in a permafrost

environment
Hydrate Presence
Production Methods
 Depressurization :
o Lower the pressure in free gas zone.
o Most commercially used method.

 Inhibition: chemicals like methanol alter hydrate stability.

 Heat Supply: rise in temperature cause hydrate decomposition.

 CO2 injection
o Recently developed technique.
o Works on the difference in chemical affinity for CO 2 versus methane in the hydrate
structure.
o Used in Canada only.
Detection Technique
 Gas-hydrates are mostly identified by mapping a
bottom simulating reflector (BSR) on seismic section.

 Mimics the sea floor topography.

 Presence of gas-hydrates stiffens the sediment matrix

and thus allows the seismic waves to pass through the
hydrates laden sediments easily as compared to the
host sediments i.e. sediments without hydrates
Indian Scenario
 India has around 2,000 trillion cubic feet of prognostic
reserves of gas hydrates.

 Likely to do its first gas hydrates production test by 2015.

 Set up Indian National Gas Hydrate Program (NGHP) in

1997

 Reserves found in – KG Basin, Mahanadi Basin, Kerala

Konkan basin and Andaman Offshore.
NGHP
 Primary goal was to conduct scientific ocean drilling/coring, logging,
and analytical activities to assess the geologic occurrence &
characteristics of deposits.

 Phase I “Expedition 01” started in 2006.

 Expedition 01 planned and managed through a collaboration between

DGH under MoPNG and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

 ONGC, GAIL started in house studies for evaluation of gas hydrates in

Indian offshore areas.

 Second phase will conduct surveys to map the hydrate pools.

Limitations
 Climate change effects – negative (GHG) and
positive (CO2 sequestration).
 Geological Hazard - low permeability in
sediments (create fluid seeping problems).
 Ecosystems associated to near surface
occurrences
 Decreasing enrichment factor with depth.
 No proven technology.
 Limited gas industry infrastructure
THANKS