HELP Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy

Tamil Research Institution (TRI)
7.3 GAS HYDRATES
7.3.1 Activities in India
Gas Hydrates can be an unconventional future energy source world
over. World over the production of gas from gas hydrates are at R&D
stage. USA, Japan, Russia, China, Germany and Korea are deeply
involved in developing a technology to exploit these proved Gas
hydrates reserves.
In India, Gas hydrate research and exploratory activities are being
steered by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas under National
Gas Hydrate Program (NGHP). The presence of Gas Hydrate is
established in Krishna-Godavari, Mahanadi, Gulf of Mannar and
Andaman Basin.
NGHP-Expedition-01 exploration program was carried out in
2006 for mapping gas hydrates zones in Krishna-Godavari, Kerala
Konkan, Mahanadi and Andaman offshore. Total 39 holes at 21 sites
were drilled and established the physical presence of gas hydrate in
Krishna-Godavari, Mahanadi and Andaman Basin in clay dominated
complex geological settings.
NGHP-Expedition-02 was approved in 15 th Steering Committee
held in (Oct ’2013) and the 17 th Steering Committee (in Jan’2015)
approved the expenditure of USD 101.12 Million (Rs 616.95 crores)
for the NGHP-Expedition-02. The cost of NGHP Expedition-02 is
shared by OIDB (50%), ONGC (20%), OIL (10%), GAIL (10%) and IOCL
(10%). ONGC was mandated to execute NGHP-02 by hiring suitable
vessel and integrated services.
NGHP-02 was commenced on 3 rd March 2015 and has been
completed on 28 th July 2015. Total 42 wells drilled at 25 sites in
Krishna-Godavari and Mahanadi area in sand reservoirs for gas
hydrates. LWD was completed in 25 wells in 4 areas A, B C & E. Coring
and wire line logging was carried out in 17 wells in areas ‘B’ ‘C’ & ‘E’.
NGHP-02 has discovered significant gas-hydrate-bearing sand
reservoir system in the Krishna-Godavari B, C and E area. Area
A, which is in the Mahanadi deep water basin, has several sand
zones devoid of gas hydrates. Identified two distinct gas hydrate
accumulations in Krishna-Godavari Basin, one is approximately 20
to 100 m thick, layer-type, depths 400 m and other accumulation is
a fracture-type unit of variable thickness at shallow levels.
To chalk out a way forward plan for NGHP Exp-03, a meeting was
held with reputed international scientists/experts on 1 st Feb & 2 nd
Feb 2016 at DGH & on 3 rd Feb 2016 in New Delhi. The Gas Hydrate
experts from Japan and USA had attended the meeting. The
deliberations on the first two days, i.e 1 st Feb & 2 nd Feb 2016 were
held at Workstations/conference room of DGH and were technically
intensive. These deliberations concluded on the 3 rd Feb 2016 in Hotel
Claridges, New Delhi.
The brief outcome of the deliberations during the 3-day meet
concluded that NGHP Expedition-02 results are encouraging and
further extensive studies to be carried out to assess the gas hydrate
resource potential, reservoir characterization, reservoir de-lineation
and geo-mechanical modelling for seafloor
and wellbore stability and identification of
sites for pilot production for testing. KG deep
offshore Area ‘B’ & ‘C’ contain gas hydrate
accumulations which can be suitable sites
for future gas hydrate production testing
under NGHP Exp-03.
7.3.2 Research Projects Under NGHP
Two NGHP R & D projects under direct
funding by OIDB were approved in 15 th
steering committee and 1 st installment of
funds to the executing organizations has
been released.
The first NGHP R & D project of KDMIPE,
ONGC with IIT-Kanpur entitled “Modelling
and Simulation of Methane Extraction
from Gas Hydrates via Simultaneous
Depressurization and CO 2
injection”, was
taken up with an aim to design a simulator
with all dynamic variables and estimate
methane release per unit time.
The second project of NGRI entitled,
“Carbon Dioxide & Methane Hydrate phase
stability in sandy and clay environment:
Laboratory studies” approved under NGHP
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Unconventional Hydrocarbons
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