Energy Resources Program Research Area:
Methane Hydrate Exploration and Development
Methane hydrate occurs naturally in many locations on earth where the pressure and temperature conditions are appropriate and methane is present. Many deposits are on and beneath the sea floor, and in subsurface arctic locations overlying oil and natural gas reservoirs. Our studies include numerical modeling and laboratory measurements to guide decisions on the feasibility of natural gas production from hydrate and to assess the relationship between hydrates and climate. Moreover, our research has identified key attributes of productive hydrate deposits, such as high temperature and pressure, large permeabilities, and impermeable boundaries, and also key attributes of nonproductive deposits, including low temperatures, fine-grained porous media, and lack of confining boundaries.
Related Projects
- Numerical Studies for the Characterization of Recoverable Resources from Methane Hydrate Deposits (Moridis)
- Interrelation of Global Climate and the Response of Oceanic Hydrate Accumulations with Los Alamos National Lab (Moridis)
- LBNL-ConocoPhillips Collaborative Project on Hydrates (Moridis; Conoco)
- A Self-Teaching Expert System for the Analysis, Design, and Prediction of Gas Production from Shales (Moridis; RPSEA)