HR: 08:15h
AN: OS21A-02    [Abstracts]
TI: Gas Hydrate Investigations at the 2007 Mount Elbert Test Site, Milne Point Area, Alaska North Slope
AU: * Boswell, R
EM: ray.boswell@netl.doe.gov
AF: U.S. Department of Energy, 3610 Collins Ferry Road, Morgantown, WV 26507, United States
AU: Collett, T S
EM: tcollett@usgs.com
AF: U.S. Geological Survey, Denver Federal Center MS-939, Denver, CO 80225, United States
AU: Digert, S A
EM: digertsa@bp.com
AF: BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., 900 E. Benson Blvd., Anchorage, AK 99519, United States
AU: Hunter, R B
EM: robert.hunter@asrcenergy.com
AF: ASRC Energy Services, 3900 C Street, Suite 702, Anchorage, AK 99503, United States
AU: Hancock, S
EM: hancocks@rpsgroup.com
AF: RPS Energy, 800 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1400, Calgary, ALB T2P 3T6, Canada
AB: As part of an ongoing effort to advance our understanding of the future resource potential of permafrost- associated gas hydrates, a team of scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy, BP Exploration Alaska, the U.S. Geological Survey, Oregon State University, and RPS Energy conducted an extensive data collection program in February, 2007, at the "Mount Elbert" gas hydrate stratigraphic test well within the Milne Point Unit of the Alaska North Slope (ANS). In the first application of wireline retrievable coring on the ANS, the well was continuously cored from a depth of 1995 ft to a depth of 2494 with core recovery of roughly 85%. A full suite of advanced well- logs were collected in the well, including magnetic resonance and borehole resistivity imaging. Log quality was outstanding due primarily to excellent hole conditions that resulted from the use of chilled, oil-based drilling fluids that prevented gas hydrate dissociation during coring and data collection. In close agreement with pre-drill geological and geophysical estimates, the core and log data confirmed the existence of two sands containing a total of roughly 100 feet of gas hydrate bearing reservoir. Gas hydrate saturations varied with reservoir quality and ranged from 60 to 75%. The "Mount Elbert" data collection program culminated with four, 6-to-12 hour duration open-hole tests of reservoir flow and pressure response, as well as gas and water sample collection using Schlumberger's Modular Formation Dynamics Tester wireline tool.
DE: 3004 Gas and hydrate systems
DE: 9315 Arctic region (0718, 4207)
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting