Technology development in India for gas hydrates exploration and extraction feasibility studies

Gas hydrates are considered to be one of the promising future sources of energy. The amount of methane sequestered in gas hydrates is enormous. Estimates show that the methane stored in the form of gas-hydrates is in the order of ~1900 trillion cubic meters within the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone. Under the aegis of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai is involved in developing suitable technologies for the exploration and extraction methodologies of Gas hydrates in the marine settings of India. Studies carried out using the 6000 m depth rated work class Remotely Operated Submersible, ROSUB 6000, designed and developed at NIOT, at a selected site in the Krishna Godavari Basin showed chemosynthetic habitat abundance at a depth of 1019 m. As a part of the ground truth validation of the presence of gas hydrates, an Autonomous Coring System is being developed with a depth rating of 3000 m, with a capability to collect 100 m core below the sea floor. Sea trials are under progress involving the ground truth validation, with an in-situ pressure core sampler. Theoretical studies, laboratory experiments and reservoir simulation activities are done, using the TOUGH+HYDRATE tool, to identify feasible techniques for methane gas extraction from fine clay Indian marine settings. The details of the identified extraction methodologies, and the results are also discussed in this paper.