The goal of this project is to develop technology and collect data to assist in the characterization of naturally occurring gas hydrates in the deep water Gulf of Mexico (GoM). The intent of the project is to better understand the impact of hydrates on safety and seafloor stability as well as provide data for use by scientists in their study of climate change and assessment of the feasibility of marine hydrate as a potential future energy resource.
Performers / Contributors / JIP Members:
This project is to develop technology and collect data to assist in the characterization of gas hydrates in the deep water GoM. The efforts undertaken in phases 1 and 2 of the project reflect industry’s desire to more fully understand the safety issues related to conventional oil and gas operations in areas prone to hydrate occurrence. These goals necessitate utilization of advanced seismic processing, collection of samples to improve the validity of the assumptions that drive seismic interpretations, determination of the impact on wellbore stability, and the development of field sampling methods capable of providing the needed data.
The emphasis of activities under Phase 3 of the project is on the characterization of concentrated, reservoir-relevant, gas hydrate occurrence in coarse-grained intervals. This work will help to quantify the seismic and geologic hydrate prediction methodologies developed as a part of the project, while also providing valuable insight into the behavior of concentrated hydrate occurrence. This activity will also help to advance the major program goals of assessing the marine hydrate reservoir and determining the technical recoverability of marine hydrates.
Information resulting from this project has the potential to increase understanding of risks and appropriate operational procedures for conducting traditional oil/gas activities in areas of hydrate occurrence; advance techniques and technologies used to assess gas hydrates in field and laboratory settings; contribute to scientific understanding of the role of gas hydrate in the global climate; characterize gas hydrate occurrence in the GoM; and serve as vital step in determining the commercial viability of marine hydrate accumulations.
Phase 3
Phase 1 and 2
(September 2014)
The project ended on March 31, 2014. The final report is listed below under "Additional Information".
$40,215,883 (to date $34,751,964)
$14,752,993
Planned Total Project Cost Information:
Phase 1: DOE Contribution:$1,504,855, Recipient Contribution: $3,260,772
Phase 2: DOE Contribution:$10,992,620, Recipient Contribution: $5,613,664
Planned Phase 3: DOE Contribution:$27,718,408, Recipient Contribution: $5,878,557
NETL – Skip Pratt (skip.pratt@netl.doe.gov or 304-285-4396)
Chevron Energy Technology Company – Jimmy Bent (bentjv@chevron.com or 832-854-2656)
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].
Final Project Report [PDF-643KB] - June, 2014
Phase 3B Topical Report [PDF-22.2MB] - June, 2014
Semi-Annual Report October 2013 - March 2014 [PDF-818KB]
Semi-Annual Report April - September 2013 [PDF-6.49MB]
Semi-Annual Report October 2012 - March 2013 [PDF-1.56MB]
Semi-Annual Report April - September 2012 [PDF-1.98MB]
Semi-Annual Report October 2011 - March 2012 [PDF-1.19MB]
Semi-Annual Report April - September 2011 [PDF-1.79MB]
Semi-Annual Report October 2010 - March 2011 [PDF-1.02MB]
Semi-Annual Report April - September 2010 [PDF-352KB]
Initial Scientific Results of the Gulf of Mexico Gas Hydrates Joint Industry Project Leg II
Semi-Annual Report October 2009 - March 2010 [PDF-137KB]
2008 ICGH Paper - Designing a Reservoir Flow Rate Experiment for the GOM Hydrate JIP Leg II LWD Drilling [PDF]
2008 ICGH Paper - Site Selection for DOE/JIP Gas Hydrates Drilling in the Northern Gulf of Mexico [PDF]
2008 ICGH Paper - Subsurface Characterization of the Hydrate Bearing Sediments Near Alaminos Canyon 818 [PDF]
2008 ICGH Paper - Observed Gas Hydrate Morphologies in Marine Sediment [PDF]
2008 ICGH Paper - Constraining Gas Hydrate Occurrence in the Northern Gulf of Mexico Continental Slope: Fine Scale Analysis of Grain-Size in Hydrate-Bearing Sediments [PDF]
2005 GOM Final Cruise Report [PDF-6.13MB]
Chevron JIP website - [external site] JIP information, cruise reports, and photos
Well Logs from the 2005 GOM Cruise [external site - Chevron JIP]
Results of Core Sample Analysis - Fugro Operations and Geotechnical Investigations [PDF-7.13MB]
Semi-Annual Report April 2009 - September 2009 [PDF-1.08MB]
Semi-Annual Report October 2008 - March 2009 [PDF-1.55MB]
Semi-Annual Report April 2008 - September 2008 [PDF-265KB]
Semi-Annual Report October 2007 - March 2008 [PDF-933KB]
Semi-Annual Report April 2007 - September 2007 [PDF-6.83MB]
Semi-Annual Report October 2006 - March 2007 [PDF-829KB]
Semi-Annual Report April 2006 - September 2006 [PDF-428KB]
Semi-Annual Report October 2005 - March 2006 [PDF-6.39MB]
Semi-Annual Report April 2005 - September 2005 [PDF-2.16MB]
Semi-Annual Report October 2004 - March 2005 [PDF-1.68MB]
Cruise Logging Report [PDF-1.12MB]
Spring 2005 GOM expedition website - includes science reports and a photo gallery
Measurements for Assessment of Hydrate Related Geohazards [PDF-151KB] DOE Topical Report for DOE Award Number DE-FC26-01NT41330. September 2004.
Measurements for Assessment of Hydrate Related Geohazards [PDF-194KB] - September, 2004
Protocols for Seismic Data Acquisition and Processing to Characterize Natural Gas Hydrate Deposits in Deepwater [PDF-137KB] DOE Topical Report for DOE Award Number DE-FC26-01NT41330. March 2004.
Theoretical Modeling and Analysis fro Gas Hydrate Quantification from Prestack Seismic Data in the Northern Deepwater Gulf of Mexico [PDF-15.5MB] - November, 2003
Gulf of Mexico Joint Industry Project [PDF-3063KB] - October, 2003
Results from the DOE Methane Hydrate R&D Conference and the Chevron JIP Workshop
[PDF-183KB] - November, 2003
Characterizing Natural Gas Hydrates in the Deep Water GOM [PDF-1295KB] - semiannual report - March, 2003
Topical Report - JIP Workshop Results - September 2002 [PDF-7.16MB]
Semi-Annual Report April 2002 - September 2002 [PDF-3.69MB]
Semi-Annual Report October 2001 - March 2002 [PDF-3.68MB]