Application of the whole petroleum system in the evaluation of the global natural gas hydrate resource

Abstract

Natural gas hydrate (NGH), as a widely recognized clean energy, has shown a significant resource potential. However, due to the lack of a unified evaluation methodology and the difficult determination of key parameters, the evaluation results of global NGH resource are greatly different. This paper establishes a quantitative relationship between NGH resource potential and conventional oil and gas resource and a NGH resource evaluation model based on the whole petroleum system (WPS) and through the analysis of dynamic field controlling hydrocarbon accumulation. The global NGH initially in place and recoverable resources are inverted through the Monte Carlo simulation, and verified by using the volume analogy method based on drilling results and the trend analysis method of previous evaluation results. The proposed evaluation model considers two genetic mechanisms of natural gas (biological degradation and thermal degradation), surface volume conversion factor difference between conventional natural gas and NGH, and the impacts of differences in favorable distribution area and thickness and in other aspects on the results of NGH resource evaluation. The study shows that the global NGH initially in place and recoverable resources are 99×10¹² m³ and 30×10¹² m³, with averages of 214×10¹² m³ and 68×10¹² m³, respectively, less than 5% of the total conventional oil and gas resources, and they can be used as a supplement for the future energy of the world. The proposed NGH resource evaluation model creates a new option of evaluation method and technology, and generates reliable data of NGH resource according to the reliability comprehensive analysis and test, providing a parameter basis for subsequent NGH exploration and development.