Gas Hydrates Active
Central Energy Resources Science Center - Gas Hydrates Project Page
Gas hydrates are naturally occurring ice-like combinations of natural gas and water that have the potential to provide an immense resource of natural gas from the world's oceans and polar regions. Gas hydrates are known to be widespread in permafrost regions and beneath the sea in sediments of outer continental margins. It is generally accepted that the volume of natural gas contained in the world's gas hydrate accumulations greatly exceeds that of known gas reserves. There is also growing evidence that natural gas can be produced from gas hydrates with existing conventional oil and gas production technology. The USGS is participating in several international consortia of research, industry, and academic institutions. The USGS also has ongoing cooperative research efforts with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the State of Alaska, the Department of Energy, industry, and Native Alaskan corporations to further the understanding of gas the hydrate endowment and recoverability.
For a listing of our completed expeditions click here to visit the Related Science tab.
USGS Links
USGS Gas Hydrate Project
Woods Hole Science Center
USGS Scientists contribute to new gas hydrates monograph
External Links
DOE Methane Hydrate R&D Program
NETL Methane Hydrate Web Site
NETL Fire in the Ice Newsletter
US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Current Perspectives on Gas Hydrate Resources
Gas Hydrate and Climate Change
World Atlas of Submarine Gas Hydrates in Continental Margins | SpringerLink
Tasks and Field Reports
Results of the Indian National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 01
Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 311
Below are publications associated with this project.
Processing of multichannel seismic reflection data acquired in 2013 for seismic investigations of gas hydrates in the Gulf of Mexico
Prospecting for marine gas hydrate resources
Characterization of gas hydrate distribution using conventional 3D seismic data in the Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea
Indian National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 01 report
Reservoir controls on the occurrence and production of gas hydrates in marine and Arctic permafrost settings
Geologic implications of gas hydrates in the offshore of India: results of the National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 01
Geologic implications of gas hydrates in the offshore of India: Krishna-Godavari Basin, Mahanadi Basin, Andaman Sea, Kerala-Konkan Basin
Geological controls on the occurrence of gas hydrate from core, downhole log, and seismic data in the Shenhu area, South China Sea
Methane hydrates in nature - Current knowledge and challenges
Gas hydrate identified in sand-rich inferred sedimentary section using downhole logging and seismic data in Shenhu area, South China Sea
Cruise report for P1-13-LA, U.S. Geological Survey gas hydrates research cruise, R/V Pelican April 18 to May 3, 2013, deepwater Gulf of Mexico
Reservoir controls on the occurrence and production of gas hydrates in nature
Below are news stories associated with this project.
Exploring Gas Hydrates as a Future Energy Source
In the past decade, the development of the Barnett, Eagle Ford, Marcellus, and other shales has dominated the national consciousness regarding natural gas. But in Alaska, another form of natural gas has been the focus of research for decades—methane hydrate.
- Overview
Central Energy Resources Science Center - Gas Hydrates Project Page
Gas hydrates are naturally occurring ice-like combinations of natural gas and water that have the potential to provide an immense resource of natural gas from the world's oceans and polar regions. Gas hydrates are known to be widespread in permafrost regions and beneath the sea in sediments of outer continental margins. It is generally accepted that the volume of natural gas contained in the world's gas hydrate accumulations greatly exceeds that of known gas reserves. There is also growing evidence that natural gas can be produced from gas hydrates with existing conventional oil and gas production technology. The USGS is participating in several international consortia of research, industry, and academic institutions. The USGS also has ongoing cooperative research efforts with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the State of Alaska, the Department of Energy, industry, and Native Alaskan corporations to further the understanding of gas the hydrate endowment and recoverability.
For a listing of our completed expeditions click here to visit the Related Science tab.
USGS Links
USGS Gas Hydrate Project
Woods Hole Science Center
USGS Scientists contribute to new gas hydrates monographExternal Links
DOE Methane Hydrate R&D Program
NETL Methane Hydrate Web Site
NETL Fire in the Ice Newsletter
US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Current Perspectives on Gas Hydrate Resources
Gas Hydrate and Climate Change
World Atlas of Submarine Gas Hydrates in Continental Margins | SpringerLink
- Science
Tasks and Field Reports
Filter Total Items: 14Results of the Indian National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 01
In 2008 an international partnership led by the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (Government of India) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released the results of the most complex and comprehensive gas hydrate field venture yet conducted. Upon the occasion of the Indian National Gas Hydrate Program Gas Hydrate Conference held February 6-8...Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 311
In 2005 a transect of four sites (U1325, U1326, U1327, and U1329) across the northern Cascadia margin was established during Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 311 to study the occurrences and formation of gas hydrate in accretionary complexes. In addition to the transect of sites, a fifth site (U1328) was established at a cold vent with active fluid and gas flow. The four transect sites... - Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 42Processing of multichannel seismic reflection data acquired in 2013 for seismic investigations of gas hydrates in the Gulf of Mexico
As part of a cooperative effort among the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, two grids of two-dimensional multichannel seismic reflection data were acquired in the Gulf of Mexico over lease blocks Green Canyon 955 and Walker Ridge 313 between April 18 and May 3, 2013. The purpose of the data acquiAuthorsJohn J. Miller, Warren F. Agena, Seth S. Haines, Patrick E. HartProspecting for marine gas hydrate resources
As gas hydrate energy assessment matures worldwide, emphasis has evolved away from confirmation of the mere presence of gas hydrate to the more complex issue of prospecting for those specific accumulations that are viable resource targets. Gas hydrate exploration now integrates the unique pressure and temperature preconditions for gas hydrate occurrence with those concepts and practices that are tAuthorsRay Boswell, Craig Shipp, Thomas Reichel, Dianna Shelander, Tetsuo Saeki, Matthew Frye, William Shedd, Timothy S. Collett, Daniel R. McConnellCharacterization of gas hydrate distribution using conventional 3D seismic data in the Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea
A new 3D seismic reflection data volume acquired in 2012 has allowed for the detailed mapping and characterization of gas hydrate distribution in the Pearl River Mouth Basin in the South China Sea. Previous studies of core and logging data showed that gas hydrate occurrence at high concentrations is controlled by the presence of relatively coarse-grained sediment and the upward migration of thermoAuthorsXiujuan Wang, Jin Qiang, Timothy S. Collett, Hesheng Shi, Shengxiong Yang, Chengzhi Yan, Yuanping Li, Zhenzhen Wang, Duanxin ChenIndian National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 01 report
Gas hydrate is a naturally occurring “ice-like” combination of natural gas and water that has the potential to serve as an immense resource of natural gas from the world’s oceans and polar regions. However, gas-hydrate recovery is both a scientific and a technical challenge and much remains to be learned about the geologic, engineering, and economic factors controlling the ultimate energy resourceAuthorsTimothy S. Collett, M. Riedel, R. Boswell, J. Presley, P. Kumar, A. Sathe, A. Sethi, M.V. LallReservoir controls on the occurrence and production of gas hydrates in marine and Arctic permafrost settings
No abstract available.AuthorsTimothy S. CollettGeologic implications of gas hydrates in the offshore of India: results of the National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 01
The Indian National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 01 (NGHP-01) is designed to study the occurrence of gas hydrate along the passive continental margin of the Indian Peninsula and in the Andaman convergent margin, with special emphasis on understanding the geologic and geochemical controls on the occurrence of gas hydrate in these two diverse settings. The NGHP-01 expedition established the presenAuthorsTimothy S. Collett, Ray Boswell, J. R. Cochran, Pushpendra Kumar, Malcolm Lall, Aninda Mazumdar, Mangipudi Venkata Ramana, Tammisetti Ramprasad, Michael Riedel, Kalachand Sain, Arun Vasant Sathe, Krishna VishwanathGeologic implications of gas hydrates in the offshore of India: Krishna-Godavari Basin, Mahanadi Basin, Andaman Sea, Kerala-Konkan Basin
Gas hydrate resource assessments that indicate enormous global volumes of gas present within hydrate accumulations have been one of the primary driving forces behind the growing interest in gas hydrates. Gas hydrate volumetric estimates in recent years have focused on documenting the geologic parameters in the “gas hydrate petroleum system” that control the occurrence of gas hydrates in nature. ThAuthorsPushpendra Kumar, Timothy S. Collett, Ray Boswell, James R. Cochran, Malcolm Lall, Aninda Mazumdar, Mangipudi Venkata Ramana, Tammisetti Ramprasad, Michael Riedel, Kalachand Sain, Arun Vasant Sathe, Krishna Vishwanath, U.S. YadavGeological controls on the occurrence of gas hydrate from core, downhole log, and seismic data in the Shenhu area, South China Sea
Multi-channel seismic reflection data, well logs, and recovered sediment cores have been used in this study to characterize the geologic controls on the occurrence of gas hydrate in the Shenhu area of the South China Sea. The concept of the "gas hydrate petroleum system" has allowed for the systematic analysis of the impact of gas source, geologic controls on gas migration, and the role of the hosAuthorsMyung W. Lee, Xiujuan Wang, Timothy S. Collett, Shengxiong Yang, Yiqun Guo, Shiguo WuMethane hydrates in nature - Current knowledge and challenges
Recognizing the importance of methane hydrate research and the need for a coordinated effort, the United States Congress enacted the Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act of 2000. At the same time, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in Japan launched a research program to develop plans for a methane hydrate exploratory drilling project in the Nankai Trough. India, China, the RAuthorsTimothy S. CollettGas hydrate identified in sand-rich inferred sedimentary section using downhole logging and seismic data in Shenhu area, South China Sea
Downhole wireline log (DWL) data was acquired from eight drill sites during China's first gas hydrate drilling expedition (GMGS-1) in 2007. Initial analyses of the acquired well log data suggested that there were no significant gas hydrate occurrences at Site SH4. However, the re-examination of the DWL data from Site SH4 indicated that there are two intervals of high resistivity, which could be inAuthorsXiujuan Wang, Myung W. Lee, Timothy S. Collett, Shengxiong Yang, Yiqun Guo, Shiguo WuCruise report for P1-13-LA, U.S. Geological Survey gas hydrates research cruise, R/V Pelican April 18 to May 3, 2013, deepwater Gulf of Mexico
The U.S. Geological Survey led a seismic acquisition cruise in the Gulf of Mexico from April 18 to May 3, 2013, with the objectives of (1) achieving improved imaging and characterization at two established gas hydrate study sites, and (2) refining geophysical methods for gas hydrate characterization in other locations. We conducted this acquisition aboard the R/V Pelican, and used a pair of 105/10AuthorsSeth S. Haines, Patrick E. Hart, Carolyn Ruppel, Thomas O'Brien, Wayne Baldwin, Jenny White, Eric Moore, Peter Dal Ferro, Peter LemmondReservoir controls on the occurrence and production of gas hydrates in nature
Gas hydrates in both arctic permafrost regions and deep marine settings can occur at high concentrations in sand-dominated reservoirs, which have been the focus of gas hydrate exploration and production studies in northern Alaska and Canada, and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, off the southeastern coast of Japan, in the Ulleung Basin off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula, and along the easterAuthorsTimothy Scott Collett - News
Below are news stories associated with this project.
Exploring Gas Hydrates as a Future Energy Source
In the past decade, the development of the Barnett, Eagle Ford, Marcellus, and other shales has dominated the national consciousness regarding natural gas. But in Alaska, another form of natural gas has been the focus of research for decades—methane hydrate.