Deep source gas: Technology status report

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6667951

Deep Source Gas research is focused on the hypothesis that natural gas is generated in sediments carried to great depths at convergent plate boundaries in the Earth's crust. These deeply emplaced sediments may be the source of gas for shallower, drillable traps. Many areas of North America are believed to have experienced plate tectonic convergence. The western Cordilleran Geologic Province, in particular, appears to have geologic fault structures (associated with subduction and obduction) that enabled deep emplacement of hydrocarbon-generating sediments during more recent geologic ages (during the last 180 million years). The specific area of interest in this Province encompasses approximately 1.5 million square miles of the western US (including Alaska) and Canada; other portions of this same province extend southward into Mexico and Central and South America. The ongoing research consists of basic studies of hydrocarbon generation, stability, and preservation of depths in excess of 30,000 feet, in addition to a comprehensive evaluation of the geologic structures, stratigraphy, and geochemistry of the above region. Results to date include (1) geologic and geophysical evidence of deeply emplaced sedimentary rock units at depths exceeding 30,000 feet in western Washington and south-central Alaska, (2) a new methodology for verifying deep methane stability with fluid inclusion studies, and (3) a preliminary gas resource estimate of 3000 Tcf. 17 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs.

• Research Organization: USDOE Morgantown Energy Technology Center, WV
• OSTI ID: 6667951
• Report Number(s): DOE/METC-87/0250; ON: DE87001031
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030200* -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
ALASKA
ALKANES
CANADA
CENTRAL AMERICA
CHEMISTRY
DEPTH
DEPTH 9-12 KM
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DIMENSIONS
EXPLORATION
FEDERAL REGION X
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
GEOPHYSICS
HYDROCARBONS
LATIN AMERICA
METHANE
MEXICO
MIGRATION
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
RESOURCES
SEISMIC SURVEYS
SOUTH AMERICA
STABILITY
STRATIGRAPHY
SUBDUCTION ZONES
SURVEYS
TECTONICS
USA
WASHINGTON