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Black Sea hydrates production value
  • Bjørn Kvamme,
  • Atanas Vasilev
Bjørn Kvamme
Strategic Carbon LLC

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Atanas Vasilev
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
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Abstract

Natural gas hydrates of Bulgaria and Romania in the Black Sea have been subject to studies by several European research projects. In this study, we have evaluated some well-known hydrate production methods. Thermal stimulation and adding chemicals are considered as not economically feasible. Pressure reduction may not be efficient due to the endothermic dissociation of hydrates and long-term cooling of the sediments. Adding CO2/N2, however, has a dual value. In the future CO2 can be stored at a price proportional to a CO2 tax. The maximum N2 amount is dictated by the demand for the creation of a new hydrate from injection gas but also the need for sufficient heat release from this hydrate formation to dissociate the in situ CH4 hydrates. Based on reasonable assumptions and approximations as used in a verified kinetic model it is found that CH4/CO2 swapping is a feasible method for Black Sea hydrates.