WASHINGTON —
The Department of Energy has successfully completed an unprecedented test of harvesting the vast storehouse on Alaska’s North Slope of methane hydrate, essentially natural gas locked in ice crystals under the permafrost.
Producing methane hydrate is still a long way from being commercial, but the potential is huge. The U.S. Geological Survey has estimated that the North Slope of Alaska holds 590 trillion cubic feet of methane hydrate, potentially at least three times as much as the huge amount of conventional natural gas on the North Slope. The Department of Energy said there is the potential to eventually unlock massive reservoirs of methane hydrates that are believed to exist under the ocean floor in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Department of Energy conducted the small-scale test at Alaska’s Prudhoe Bay between Feb. 15 and April 10 and released the results Wednesday, saying it had safely extracted a steady flow of natural gas.
The department declared that “methane hydrates may exceed the energy content of all other fossil fuels combined; could ensure decades of affordable natural gas and cut America’s foreign oil dependence.” Harvesting methane hydrates remains in the research phase, though, and much more needs to be worked out before it’s clear whether the process is economically feasible.
“It’s great news, certainly a reminder for all those who make fun of federal research that it does have value. But that is a long-term effort, we need to keep that in mind,” said Larry Persily, the federal coordinator for a proposed natural gas pipeline project aimed at bringing Alaska’s conventional gas to market.
The Department of Energy conducted the test with help from ConocoPhillips and the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp. The technology was developed in the lab by ConocoPhillips working with the University of Bergen in Norway.
“It’s certainly exciting; it was a successful test,” said ConocoPhillips spokeswoman Amy Burnett. “But we’re still a long way off from getting commercial production.”
Here’s how the test worked: Researchers injected a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen into the hydrate formation, which took in the carbon dioxide and released the methane. Researchers lowered well pressure to make the hydrate flow and get the gas out.
“We just completed the test, just plugged the well last week, but we’ve got 30 days of production data, which is considerably longer than any field test anyone in the world has ever done,” said Christopher Smith, deputy assistant energy secretary for oil and natural gas. “We’re headed back to the laboratory to analyze that, and we’re excited about the early results.”
Smith said the process has potential for storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as well as producing the natural gas.
The Department of Energy said the next step in its research effort will be testing gas hydrate production over longer periods, with the eventual goal of making a sustained harvest possible. It’s offering $6.5 million in research grants and requesting $5 million from Congress for an additional testing effort.
The $5 million would be for more research on Alaska’s North Slope with a longer test of producing the natural gas, Smith said.
National News
Test successfully pulls natural gas from Alaskan ice
- National News
-
-
Yahoo takes big leap with $1.1B deal for Tumblr
Yahoo is buying online blogging forum Tumblr for $1.1 billion as CEO Marissa Mayer tries to rejuvenate an Internet icon that had fallen behind the times.
-
Small Florida city anxious to learn jackpot winner
It could be an anxious wait of up to two months for people in a small Florida city to find out who won the highest Powerball jackpot in history: an estimated $590.5 million.
-
American will favor passengers without roller bags
If you’re traveling light, you can board earlier on American Airlines.
-
Senate panel considers labor board nominees
Senate Republicans said Thursday they would not support five nominees to the National Labor Relations Board, raising the possibility the troubled agency could be rendered mostly inoperable later this year.
-
No Powerball winner; jackpot soars to $475 million
So you didn’t win Wednesday’s $360 million Powerball jackpot? Make that you and everyone else.
-
INFLUENCE GAME: Tech, labor spar on immigration
To the U.S. technology industry, there’s a dramatic shortfall in the number of Americans skilled in computer programming and engineering that is hampering business.
-
Health reforms penalize some Indians
When Liz DeRouen needs any kind of health care services, from diabetes counseling to a dental cleaning, she checks into a government-funded clinic in Northern California’s wine country that covers all her medical needs.
-
Pennsylvania abortion doctor gets third life sentence
A Philadelphia abortion doctor was sentenced Wednesday to a third life term for killing an aborted baby he described as so big it could “walk to the bus.”
-
For Minnesota gay marriage sponsors, it’s personal
When Gov. Mark Dayton adds his signature to the bill legalizing gay marriage in Minnesota later Tuesday, its two main sponsors will stand triumphantly beside him admiring the fruits of their long and often demoralizing struggle for gay rights.
-
Angelina Jolie says she had double mastectomy
Angelina Jolie says that she has had a preventive double mastectomy after learning she carried a gene that made it extremely likely she would get breast cancer.
- More National News Headlines
-
Yahoo takes big leap with $1.1B deal for Tumblr
Commuters Face Delays After Conn. Train Accident
Raw: Swarm of Tornadoes Slams Plains
Raw: Fierce Bombing in Qusair, Syria
RAW: TV Staff Take Cover From Tornado
Raw: Accused US Spy Reportedly Leaves Russia
AP CEO: Records Seizure 'Unconstitutional'
Fatal Hot Air Balloon Accident in Turkey
Tornadoes, Storms Strike Midwest
'Babyland': Camp Lejeune's Toxic Legacy?
Raw: Heavy Tornado Damage in Shawnee, Okla
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
