Numerical simulations of depressurization-induced gas production from gas hydrates using 3-D heterogeneous models of L-Pad, Prudhoe Bay Unit, North Slope Alaska

Myshakin, Evgeniy M.; Ajayi, Taiwo; Anderson, Brian J.; Seol, Yongkoo; Boswell, Ray

doi:10.1016/j.jngse.2016.09.070

Title: Numerical simulations of depressurization-induced gas production from gas hydrates using 3-D heterogeneous models of L-Pad, Prudhoe Bay Unit, North Slope Alaska

Journal Article · Fri Sep 30 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2016.09.070· OSTI ID:1478208

Myshakin, Evgeniy M. ^[1];

^[2]; Anderson, Brian J. ^[2]; Seol, Yongkoo ^[3]; Boswell, Ray ^[3]

National Energy Technology Lab. (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, (United States); AECOM, Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
National Energy Technology Lab. (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, (United States); West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States)
National Energy Technology Lab. (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, (United States)

Gas production potential is estimated using a three-dimensional reservoir model based on gas hydrate deposits located in the Prudhoe Bay region of the Alaska's North Slope. The model incorporates two hydrate-bearing sand units using detailed reservoir geological and structural information obtained from past and recent drilling programs. Geostatistical porosity models, conditioned to log data from 78 wells drilled in the vicinity of the Prudhoe Bay “L-Pad,” were developed, providing 3D heterogeneity in porosity, porosity-dependent hydrate saturation, and intrinsic permeability. The simulations utilize both vertical and inclined wellbores to induce depressurization of the reservoir at a constant bottom-hole pressure. The results show the superior performance of the inclined well design. Average gas production rates during the first five years were ~6.0 × 10⁴ ST m³/day (~2.1 MMSCF/day) and ~2.7 × 10⁴ ST m³/day (~1.0 MMSCF/day) for incline and vertical wells, respectively. After 30 years 5.3 × 10⁸ - 5.7 × 10⁸ ST m³ (18.6–20.2 BSCF) and 6.2 × 10⁸ - 6.4 × 10⁸ ST m³ (22.0–22.7 BSCF) gas were produced using the vertical and inclined well configurations, respectively. The analysis reveals that 2D reservoir models with homogeneous representations for porosity and hydrate saturation significantly underestimate production potential. The heterogeneity implemented in this work provides complex porous network and preferential pathways for mobile phase flow to a producing well. Consequently, no secondary hydrate formation around a wellbore is predicted in contrast to models that utilize uniform porosity and hydrate saturation distributions.

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Research Organization:: National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV, and Albany, OR (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)

Grant/Contract Number:: FE0004000

OSTI ID:: 1478208

Journal Information:: Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, Vol. 35, Issue PA; ISSN 1875-5100

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 48 works

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A Mechanistic Model for Relative Permeability of Gas and Water Flow in Hydrate‐Bearing Porous Media With Capillarity Singh, Harpreet; Mahabadi, Nariman; Myshakin, Evgeniy M. Water Resources Research, Vol. 55, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1029/2018wr024278	journal	April 2019
Insight into Heterogeneity Effects in Methane Hydrate Dissociation via Pore-Scale Modeling Abdoli, S. M.; Shafiei, S.; Raoof, A. Transport in Porous Media, Vol. 124, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-018-1058-6	journal	April 2018
A Novel Relative Permeability Model for Gas and Water Flow in Hydrate-Bearing Sediments With Laboratory and Field-Scale Application Singh, Harpreet; Myshakin, Evgeniy M.; Seol, Yongkoo Scientific Reports, Vol. 10, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-62284-5	journal	March 2020
Cyclic methane hydrate production stimulated with CO₂ and N₂ Xia, Zhizeng; Hou, Jian; Wang, Xuewu Oil & Gas Science and Technology – Revue d’IFP Energies nouvelles, Vol. 76 https://doi.org/10.2516/ogst/2020097	journal	January 2021

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