Natural Gas Development Research Articles

Natural gas consumption forecasting using an optimized Grey Bernoulli model: The case of the world’s top three natural gas consumers

The accurate and reasonable prediction of natural gas consumption is important for enhancing national energy security and alleviating the environmental problems caused by energy consumption. Starting with the traditional nonlinear grey Bernoulli model, in this paper, we expand the development coefficient a and grey action quantity b, propose a new self-adaptive time-varying grey Bernoulli prediction model, deduce the time response formula of the model, and explore the relationship between model parameters and model accuracy. Then, the nonlinear parameter and power parameter coefficient of the new model are optimized by a genetic algorithm, and the effectiveness of the model is analyzed by the natural gas consumption of China, the United States, and Russia. The results show that, compared with other traditional grey prediction models, the new model has a better simulation effect, higher prediction accuracy, and stronger applicability. Meanwhile, the model was used to forecast the natural gas consumption of China, the United States, and Russia in the period from 2022 to 2026. The prediction results show that China’s natural gas consumption will continue to steadily increase in the future, which is consistent with the global goal of adhering to the orderly development of natural gas. The prediction results can provide a theoretical basis for relevant departments to formulate relevant natural gas policies.

Numerical simulation of natural gas flow characteristics and hydrate formation risk in deepwater submarine pipelines

The development of flow assurance technology in submarine pipelines affects the safety, efficiency, and economy of deepwater natural gas development. In this study, in order to accurately predict the hydrate formation risk in deepwater submarine pipelines, a novel mathematical prediction model of hydrate formation risk has been established. The model has been applied and sensitivity analysis of typical factors has been carried out. The model prediction results show that: (1) Due to the low temperature of the seabed, hydrate formation region (HFR) often exists in submarine pipelines. (2) When other conditions are constant, hydrate formation region increases with the decrease in seawater temperature. (3) When other conditions are constant, the temperature drop, and the length of hydrate formation region decrease with the increase of gas transmission rate. (4) When other conditions are constant, the temperature drop, and the length of hydrate formation region decreases with the increase of gas transport temperature. (5) Reasonable setting of gas transmission temperature and gas transmission rate can help to reduce the hydrate risk and consumption of inhibitors during submarine natural gas transmission.

Numerical simulation of failure properties of interbedded hydrate-bearing sediment and their implications on field exploitation

Marine natural gas hydrate is widely accepted as a promising substitute energy resource, whereas geotechnical responses of hydrate-bearing sediments (HBS) are crucial for the safe development of natural gas hydrate. The hydrate spatial distribution in sediments is multitype and present different coalescence degrees, its distribution pattern significantly influences the failure behavior of HBS, but the mechanics behind this influence is unclear. Numerical simulations are of great importance in revealing such mechanics. In this paper, a series of numerical simulations, using a modified Mohr–Coulomb (MC) model, were performed to analyze the deformation mechanisms of HBS when the hydrate was laminarly distributed in its host sediment. Considering the vertical heterogeneity of the hydrate distribution, the vertical-laminar hydrate distribution samples were simplified as interbedded samples. The interbedded HBS specimens consisted of three layers: the middle layer with relatively lower hydrate saturation; and the upper and lower layers with relatively high hydrate saturation. Interbedded samples with different hydrate saturations, depressurization ratios, and thickness ratios were designed to analyze their mechanical behaviors. The results indicated that in both the hydrate saturation and thickness ratio of the interbedded samples, the plastic yield area first occurred in the lower hydrate saturation layer; the failure mechanism was mainly determined by the strength of the lower hydrate saturation layer. In addition, the shear failure behavior of the HBS was controlled by the hydrate saturation difference between the middle and upper layers. With a smaller hydrate saturation difference between the middle and upper layers, the samples were more likely to experience shear failure. In the thickness ratio samples, the HBS changed from brittle to ductile failure with an increase in the thickness of the lower hydrate saturation layer. Under different depressurization amplitudes, the larger compression and shear yield zones were mainly confined in the upper layer. This study provides a theoretical framework for controlling the strength-weakening mechanism during natural gas development, which can be used to guide reservoirs characterization, the selection of depressurization schemes, and decomposition zones monitoring.

Orphan No More—Federal Funds Begin Flowing to State Coffers for Orphan Well Remediation

Billions of dollars in federal funding secured under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Law (BIL) has started flowing into US state coffers for the plugging and remediation of orphan oil and gas wells. Signed into law in November 2021, the BIL is a $1.2 trillion “once-in-a-generation investment” that includes $4.7 billion in funding to plug and remediate orphan wells across the nation. According to the US Department of the Interior (DOI), these legacy pollution sites are environmental hazards and jeopardize public health and safety by contaminating groundwater, emitting noxious gases and methane, littering the landscape with rusted and dangerous equipment, and harming wildlife. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated in a 2020 inventory of greenhouse gas emissions that, on average, each unplugged abandoned oil and gas well emits 0.13 tons of methane per year. When multiplied by an estimated 2.1 million unplugged, abandoned oil and gas wells, the EPA estimated methane emissions of 276,472 tons in 2019, equivalent to roughly 9.5 mtpa of carbon dioxide (CO2) assuming a 100-year global warming potential (GWP) of 34. This is roughly 2.6% of total US energy-related methane emissions or roughly 0.2% of total US energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, assuming a 100-year GWP for methane of 34, according to a report published in Environmental Science & Technology. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change defines GWP as the cumulative radiative forcing, both direct and indirect effects, over a specified time horizon resulting from the emission of a unit mass of gas related to some reference gas. While the EPA pegs the number of orphaned wells in the millions, there are variations in the count, depending on how each state or organization defines what is and is not an orphaned well. A survey, for example, by the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission in 2018 put the range of orphaned and idle wells at around 560,000 to 1.1 million. According to the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC), the regulatory body that oversees Texas oil and natural gas development, an orphan well is an inactive and unplugged well that has not produced oil or natural gas for a minimum of 12 months. But the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission defines an orphan as a well which has no owner or operator that can be found, or where the owner or operator is unwilling or unable to plug and abandon such a well. This JPT article described the hunt for the potentially hundreds of thousands of unknown, undocumented orphans across the country. In October 2021, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) released a map showing the location of more than 81,000 documented orphan wells in 28 states that are eligible for funding under the BIL. In the spring of 2022, thanks in part to states documenting more than 40,000 additional orphan wells, EDF released an updated map showing more than 120,000 documented orphan wells in 30 states (Fig. 1).

Hospitalisations for cardiovascular and respiratory disease among older adults living near unconventional natural gas development: a difference-in-differences analysis

During 2008-15, the Marcellus shale region of the US state of Pennsylvania experienced a boom in unconventional natural gas development (UNGD) or "fracking". However, despite much public debate, little is known about the effects of UNGD on population health in local communities. Among other mechanisms, air pollution from UNGD might affect individuals living nearby through cardiovascular or respiratory disease, and older adults could be particularly susceptible. To study the health impacts of Pennsylvania's fracking boom, we exploited the ban on UNGD in neighbouring New York state. Using 2002-15 Medicare claims, we conducted difference-in-differences analyses over multiple timepoints to estimate the risk of living near UNGD for hospitalisation with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis, heart failure, ischaemic heart disease, and stroke among older adults (aged ≥65 years). Pennsylvania ZIP codes that started UNGD in 2008-10 were associated with more hospitalisations for cardiovascular diseases in 2012-15 than would be expected in the absence of UNGD. Specifically, in 2015, we estimated an additional 11·8, 21·6, and 20·4 hospitalisations for AMI, heart failure, and ischaemic heart disease, respectively, per 1000 Medicare beneficiaries. Hospitalisations increased even as UNGD growth slowed. Results were robust in sensitivity analyses. Older adults living near UNGD could be at high risk of poor cardiovascular outcomes. Mitigation policies for existing UNGD might be needed to address current and future health risks. Future consideration of UNGD should prioritise local population health. University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratories.

Research and development of on-site small skid-mounted natural gas to hydrogen generator in China

Using skid-mounted natural gas to hydrogen generator in hydrogen refueling station can significantly reduce the cost of hydrogen. In 2021, China successfully built the first 250 Nm3/h on-site skid-mounted natural gas to hydrogen generator, which was successfully debug-ed in Foshan, providing hydrogen products with purity ≥99.999% for FCVs. This paper summarized the technological process and development, analyzed the risk and the safety design of skid-mounted natural gas to hydrogen generator. Several key factors affecting compactness are analyzed, including process and technical route, reforming reformer and catalyst, heat exchange network, heat exchanger and steam generation system, PSA unit and overall integrated design, etc. In addition, innovative strategies to optimize the compactness of the device are given from the aspects of process flow, reforming reformer and steam generation system.The suggestions are put forward for the development and application of on-site skid-mounted natural gas to hydrogen generator.

Quantifying spatial characteristics of the Bowhead Whale Aerial Survey Project (BWASP) survey design

The Bowhead Whale Aerial Survey Project (BWASP) has been conducted annually since 1979 in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea to monitor the distribution and relative abundance of the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort (BCB) stock of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) during their autumn migration. BWASP was created to specifically address broad-scale research and management questions related to bowhead whale ecology, with particular interest in the potential effects of oil and natural gas exploration, development and production activities on the BCB bowhead whales. With elevated concerns about climate change, increasing oil and gas activities and the forecasted increase in vessel traffic, it is expected that interest in the BWASP dataset will also increase in order to evaluate effects of these anthropogenic activities on BCB bowhead whales and indigenous whaling. The following analysis quantified the spatial characteristics of the BWASP survey design and provided guidelines for the types of investigations that the BWASP data can potentially address. Sampling lags (transect spacing) in the BWASP survey design of approximately 20km along the east/west axis of the study area limit the spatial scale of phenomena that can be detected using data from a single BWASP survey. Therefore, BWASP data are relatively uninformative for studying variability in distribution or relative abundance along the east/west axis over short time scales (one survey) and within small areas measuring less than approximately 20km. In addition, computer simulations showed spatial heterogeneity in the long-term survey coverage probability (the probability that a given location will be included in a survey having an assumed effective search width under the BWASP survey design). Pooled transects created from simulated surveys resulted in a repeating diamond pattern in which coverage probability was low. Analyses incorporating data from many BWASP surveys should account for this spatial heterogeneity, via either the survey coverage probabilities or quantification of survey effort; otherwise estimates of variables such as relative density, density, or habitat use may be biased. The BWASP surveys have increased understanding of the broad-scale patterns of bowhead distribution, relative abundance and behaviour. The utility of this dataset in informing other questions will depend upon the scale of the ecological phenomena under investigation and the analytical scales used to address the questions.

Research on the Structural Optimization of the Clean Energy Industry in the Context of Dual Carbon Strategy—A Case Study of Sichuan Province, China

As a major province for hydroelectric power in China, Sichuan Province has witnessed a great amount of seasonal characteristics in its hydroelectric power, endowing the clean energy industry in Sichuan with the characteristics of unstable supply in different seasons, strong power transmission capacity, and low production capacity of other non-fossil energy sources (except hydroelectric power). In this study, the mathematical model method was used to construct a structural optimization model of the clean energy industry in Sichuan Province, and to enable a quantitative analysis of the rationalization of the clean energy industrial structure in Sichuan Province. The results are proved from the cost-effectiveness of low carbon emission that hydroelectric power > wind power > photovoltaic power > natural gas > coal > oil. This study shall find the theoretical structure of the clean energy industry in Sichuan Province in 2030 with a prediction of Sichuan Province’s total future energy output and a constraint of its industrial structure model of clean energy. This paper suggests that Sichuan Province should give priority to the development of non-fossil energy sources, increase the development and utilization of power transmission channels in wet seasons, and develop clean energy and high energy consumption industries and the construction of pumped storage power stations, so as to reduce and avoid the waste of energy resources. It is also suggested that Sichuan Province should focus on developing clean energy with the capability of peak shaving, such as hydrogen energy and natural gas, while developing smart grid and long-distance transmission technology to strengthen energy conservation and emissions-reduced power generation. On this basis, Sichuan will focus on the development and utilization of natural gas as an alternative to high-carbon energy, with a view to optimizing its industrial structure of clean energy and helping China achieve the dual-carbon goals.

SUMMARY OF EVALUATION AND IMPACT OF UNCONVENTIONAL NATURAL GAS EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT

SUMMARY OF EVALUATION AND IMPACT OF UNCONVENTIONAL NATURAL GAS EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Математична модель прогнозування видобутку вуглеводнів на основі часових залежностей періодів розробки родовищ нафти й природного газу

An optimization model for forecasting hydrocarbon production in uncertain information conditions regarding the prospects for the development of natural gas and oil resources and reserves is proposed. The model is based on the presentation of options for the development of active fields with approximate dependences of the volume of potential annual production on the implemented measures and technologies for increasing the efficiency of gas extraction, as well as statistical information on the distribution of new fields by the reserves and depths volume of occurrence with the corresponding costs for the field’s development. In order to take into account the characteristic patterns of exploitation of natural gas and oil fields in the objective of forecasting the development of the relevant sectors of the country's economy, approximate time dependences of the production volume of a hydrocarbon field during a limited period of its development are proposed. The method of using sets of binary variables to represent the non-smooth and non-linear dependences of hydrocarbon resource extraction volumes on time during the periods of field development is presented. The optimization approach basis to the problem of forecasting the development of the oil and gas production industry regarding the substantiation of the expedient terms of putting new natural gas and oil fields into operation, taking into account the possibilities of intensifying the production of existing fields, is proposed. The optimization model for forecasting hydrocarbon production can be considered as a methodical tool for developing programs for the development of oil and gas production in the country in the context of solving applied planning problems. The calculations result of forecast volumes of natural gas production, obtained using the developed software and information support of the model, are presented. The implemented algorithms of non-linear optimization made it possible to form a volume forecast of natural gas production in Ukraine for the period until 2040, which takes into account the types of natural gas deposits available in the country and the possibility assessment of their development over time. Keywords: gas industry, forecasting, mining, technology, production forecasting model

A nonlinear model of multifractured horizontal wells in heterogeneous gas reservoirs considering the effect of stress sensitivity

Tight gas reservoirs are usually heterogeneous and associated with notable stress sensitivity during the production, directly influencing long-term development. This paper proposes a nonlinear model of multifractured horizontal wells in heterogeneous gas reservoirs considering stress-sensitive effects. Based on the linearization by stress-dependent pseudopressure and pseudotime functions, the boundary element method and Green's solution are applied to solve the model semianalytically. The effects of the stress sensitivity, production settings and subblock number are analyzed. The stress sensitivity is mainly reflected at the middle and later production stages, imposing a notable negative effect on bottomhole pressure, reducing the bottomhole pressure in a two-block reservoir by approximately 1%–28.2%. The recoveries in a two-block reservoir with different production settings under a terminal pressure vary from 16.3% to 42.49%, and thus a reasonable rate should be set to weaken the stress-sensitive effects on pressure loss to obtain a higher cumulative production within a given time. For a three-block reservoir, the proper increase of the fracture parameters in low permeability blocks can weaken the influences of heterogeneity and make the development more uniformly. This paper provides a theoretical basis for improving gas production performance forecasting for efficient development of natural gas.

The air quality impacts of pre-operational hydraulic fracturing activities

Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is a short phase in unconventional oil and natural gas (O&G) development. Before fracking there is a lengthy period of preparation, which can represent a significant proportion of the well lifecycle. Extensive infrastructure is delivered onto site, leading to increased volumes of heavy traffic, energy generation and construction work on site. Termed the “pre-operational” period, this is rarely investigated as air quality evaluations typically focus on the extraction phase. In this work we quantify the change in air pollution during pre-operational activities at a shale gas exploration site near Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Baseline air quality measurements were made two years prior to any shale gas activity and were used as a training dataset for random forest (RF) machine learning models. The models allowed for a comparison between observed air quality during the pre-operational phase and a counterfactual business as usual (BAU) prediction. During the pre-operational phase a significant deviation from the BAU scenario was observed. This was characterised by significant enhancements in NOx and a concurrent reduction in O3, caused by extensive additional vehicle movements and the presence of combustion sources such as generators on the well pad. During the pre-operational period NOx increased by 274 % and O3 decreased by 29 % when compared to BAU model values. There was also an increase in primary emissions of NO2 during the pre-operational phase which may have implications for the attainment of ambient air quality standards in the local surroundings. Unconventional O&G development remains under discussion as a potential option for improving the security of supply of domestic energy, tensioned however against significant environmental impacts. Here we demonstrate that the preparative work needed to begin fracking elevates air pollution in its own right, a further potential disbenefit that should be considered.

Industrial energy development decouples ungulate migration from the green wave.

The ability to freely move across the landscape to track the emergence of nutritious spring green-up (termed 'green-wave surfing') is key to the foraging strategy of migratory ungulates. Across the vast landscapes traversed by many migratory herds, habitats are being altered by development with unknown consequences for surfing. Using a unique long-term tracking dataset, we found that when energy development occurs within mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) migration corridors, migrating animals become decoupled from the green wave. During the early phases of a coalbed natural gas development, deer synchronized their movements with peak green-up. But faced with increasing disturbance as development expanded, deer altered their movements by holding up at the edge of the gas field and letting the green wave pass them by. Development often modified only a small portion of the migration corridor but had far-reaching effects on behaviour before and after migrating deer encountered it, thus reducing surfing along the entire route by 38.65% over the 14-year study period. Our study suggests that industrial development within migratory corridors can change the behaviour of migrating ungulates and diminish the benefits of migration. Such disruptions to migratory behaviour present a common mechanism whereby corridors become unprofitable and could ultimately be lost on highly developed landscapes.

Associations between proximity to gas production activity in counties and birth outcomes across the US

Despite mounting evidence on the health effects of natural gas development (NGD), including hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”), existing research has been constrained to high-producing states, limiting generalizability. To expand the scope of previous research, we examined the associations between prenatal exposure and NGD production activity in 28 states on birth outcomes overall and by race/ethnicity. We linked 2005–2018 county-level microdata natality files on 33,849,409 singleton births from 1984 counties in 28 states with nine-month county-level averages of NGD production by both conventional and unconventional production methods, based on month/year of birth. We estimated linear regression models for birth weight and gestational age and probit models for the dichotomous outcomes of low birth weight, preterm birth, and small-for-gestational age. We subsequently examined interactions between women’s race/ethnicity and NGD production. We found that 53.8% of counties had NGD production activity. A 10% increase in NGD production in a county was associated with a decrease in mean birth weight by 1.48 g (95% CI = −2.60, −0.37), with reductions of 10.19 g (−13.56, −6.81) for infants born to Black women and 2.76 g (−5.05, −0.46) for infants born to Asian women. A 10% increase in NGD production in a county was associated with an increased risk of infants born low birth weight (0.0008; 95% CI = 0.0006, 0.0010) or small-for-gestational age (0.0018; 95% CI = 0.0015, 0.0022), particularly among infants born to Black women. In sum, NGD for energy production has negative impacts on the health of infants, with greatest effects in infants born to minoritized women.

Congruence among multiple indices of habitat preference for species facing human‐induced rapid environmental change: A case study using the Brewer's sparrow

Abstract Accurate evaluations of habitat preference are key to understanding optimal conditions for wildlife survival and reproduction. Habitat selection, however, usually is evaluated using a single index of preference, and congruence among multiple, relevant indices of preference is examined rarely. We assessed the concordance between patterns of habitat preference using three different indices of breeding site preference in a migratory songbird. Specifically, we compared the chronology of territorial establishment, pair formation and reproductive initiation of the Brewer's sparrow (Spizella breweri) along a gradient of surface disturbance associated with natural gas development in Wyoming, USA during 2019. We expected all three indices to demonstrate a preference for breeding sites with less surface disturbance, where reproductive success typically is higher. By contrast, all indices suggested suboptimal preference with respect to surface disturbance, with some discrepancy among them. The chronology of settlement and pairing did not vary across the disturbance gradient, whereas nest initiation tended to occur earlier at sites with more disturbance. If the pattern of suboptimal selection of breeding sites that we identified is generalizable across other populations of migratory birds affected by energy development, the resultant lower fitness in those areas may exacerbate population declines. Our results suggest that traditional, single‐index approaches to the study of habitat selection, if chosen carefully, may provide adequate inference on habitat preferences. Different metrics, however, can lead to at least subtle differences in patterns of habitat selection. The simultaneous examination of multiple indices of preference across a diversity of systems would help clarify the contexts under which preference metrics can become decoupled.

Environmental justice and well waste disposal from oil and gas development in Pennsylvania

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Community socioeconomic deprivation (CSD) may be related to increased oil and natural gas development (OGD). We tested for distributive environmental injustice by examining whether waste disposal from OGD occurred disproportionately in areas with higher CSD in the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale. METHODS: Data on well waste type, disposal method, and disposal location from 2005-2019 were downloaded from the Pennsylvania Geologic Survey’s Exploration and Development Well Information Network database. Analyses were restricted to waste disposed in-state and analyses were performed at the county subdivision level (n=1848). A CSD Index was created using 2005-2009 American Community Survey data. Regression analyses tested for nonlinear relationships, controlled for population density and well drilling prior to 2005, accounted for spatial dependence, and were stratified by urban/rural status. Logistic and linear regression analyses evaluated associations between CSD Index and receipt of any versus no well waste and cumulative volume of well waste deposited. RESULTS: Between 2005-2019, we identified 7.0 million tons of solid waste and 19 million barrels of liquid waste disposed of in Pennsylvania, with the highest volumes occurring in 2017-2019. We observed that a higher CSD Index was linearly associated with any well waste disposal (urban county subdivisions: OR= 1.13, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.28; rural county subdivisions: OR= 1.02, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.08) and with cumulative volume of waste disposed (urban: β = 5627 bbl-equivalent, 95% CI: -1957, 13211; rural: β = 6198 bbl-equivalent, 95% CI: 2007, 10390). Conclusions: We observed distributive environmental injustice with respect to well waste disposal in county subdivisions across the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale. These results point to potential downstream disparities from OGD; future studies should investigate mechanisms that explain these disparities. KEYWORDS: Environmental Justice; Social Factors; Hydraulic Fracturing; Natural Gas

CO2 precooled dual phase expander refrigeration cycles for offshore and small-scale LNG production: Energy, exergy, and economic evaluation

Small-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) processes have gained considerable attention owing to the development of offshore natural gas (NG) reserves. Low energy efficiency and high process costs are the major challenges associated with small-scale LNG processes. In this study, to reduce energy consumption and improve process economics, a dual-phase expander-based process assisted by carbon dioxide (CO2) precooling has been proposed. Three proposed cases were developed using two precooling refrigerants (propane (C3) and CO2) and dual-phase expander-based liquefaction cycles utilizing a mixture of high-boiling (ethane (C2) and propane (C3)) and low-boiling refrigerant (nitrogen (N2)). These processes were optimized with the multivariate Coggins algorithm to exploit the energy-saving opportunities. The results show that proposed case II (using CO2 in precooling and C2/N2 in liquefaction) is the most energy-efficient, with a specific energy consumption of 0.3790 kWh/kgNG. Proposed case II is 1.73% and 16.6% more energy-efficient than proposed cases I and III, respectively. The exergy analysis results show that proposed case II has the lowest exergy destruction, while the economic evaluation shows the lowest capital investment ($44.4 MM) compared to the other proposed cases. These results show the superior performance of case II among the proposed cases.

Multi‐stage flexible planning of regional electricity‐HCNG‐integrated energy system considering gas pipeline retrofit and expansion

The development of hydrogen-enriched compressed natural gas (HCNG) can make full use of the existing natural gas infrastructure, thereby alleviating the economic and technical pressure on the development of pure hydrogen. This paper proposes a multi-stage flexible planning method for the regional electricity-HCNG-integrated energy system (E-HCNG-IES), which considers the medium and long-term dynamic characteristics of the E-HCNG-IES. For each sub-regional energy station, an energy-hub type model including hydrogen/HCNG-related equipment and facilities is established. Considering the influence of hydrogen blending on the energy delivery capacity and line pack of pipelines, a hydrogen-resistant retrofit model for existing natural gas pipelines between sub-regions is proposed. Meanwhile, the model for newly constructed hydrogen pipelines is also presented. Subsequently, a series of flexibility evaluation indicators are proposed to support the performance analysis of planning schemes. The lateral comparison of sub-cases in Changzhou, China demonstrates that considering the hydrogen-resistant retrofit of natural gas pipelines can reduce the construction cost of hydrogen pipelines by about 37.12%. The peak shaving capacity of underground hydrogen storage (UHS), the energy recycling ability of turbo expander (TE), and the space-time decoupling ability of hydrogen in energy supply and demand have also been confirmed.

Technology Focus: Reservoir Surveillance (September 2022)

When it comes to reservoir surveillance, subsurface professionals have a broad array of tools and techniques to understand what is happening in the reservoir. To ensure valuable information is gathered with surveillance, it’s important to first ask “what problem are we trying to solve?” Depending on the problem’s definition and scale, the appropriate surveillance technology will change significantly. Zooming far out, particularly if little data is available for a reservoir, we may be interested in tools and techniques to validate and refine the geological concept for a basin, along with the most likely deposition patterns for sediments. Zooming in to the level of interactions between wells, we need to use a different toolbox that often includes finer-resolution geoscience mapping and engineering methods such as analyzing production, pressure, and fluid-property trends from individual wells. But what’s really exciting is that many new approaches are being developed to understand reservoir behavior and well performance at incredibly high resolution—at the fracture scale or even the pore scale. In this feature, we will examine surveillance technologies that can be applied at the broad scale, midscale, and fine scale. The papers highlighted in this month’s feature apply forward stratigraphic modeling to improve geological models, classical reservoir engineering techniques to understand interwell connectivity in order to optimize waterflooding operations, and exciting new fiber-optic technology to characterize the performance of individual hydraulic fractures in unconventionals. I hope these articles help you to think about “framing” the problem you are trying to solve, like a photographer carefully selecting the right camera settings and lens for a specific shot, in order to select the right tools and methods to add value through surveillance. Recommended additional reading at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org. SPE 202319 - Utilizing Surface Microseismic Monitoring To Improve Understanding of Natural Fractures in Sichuan Shale Gas Play by Cui Jing, Sichuan Changning Natural Gas Development Company, et al. SPE 202837 - Modified Technique To Model Volatile Oil Reservoirs: Implications for Modern Software Programs by Mohamed Ibrahim, Shell Egypt, et al. SPE 201543 - Production Optimization Using a 24/7 Distributed Fiber-Optic DFO Sensing-Based Multiphase Inflow Profiling Capability by Teymur Sadigov, BP, et al.

The development of natural gas and hydrogen pipeline capital cost estimating equations

Natural gas pipeline cost data collected by the Oil and Gas Journal (O&GJ) [1] for interstate pipelines constructed from 1980 through 2017 were used to develop capital cost estimating equations that are a function of pipeline diameter, length, and U.S. region. Equations were developed for material, labor, miscellaneous, and right-of-way costs, the four cost components in the O&GJ data, for six different regions of the United States (U.S.). Each equation is a function of pipeline diameter and length.Adjustment mechanisms were then developed for converting the natural gas pipeline equations into equations for estimating the costs of hydrogen pipelines. These adjustments were based in part on an analysis completed by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) [2,3]. The results of this work were used to update cost models in the Hydrogen Delivery Scenario Analysis Model (HDSAM) [4], developed by Argonne National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy's Hydrogen Program. Our analysis shows a wide range of pipeline cost across different U.S. regions, especially with respect to labor and right-of-way costs. The developed cost formulas for hydrogen pipelines are both important and timely as hydrogen is being considered as a zero-carbon energy carrier with the potential to decarbonize all energy sectors, and the cost of hydrogen transportation is essential for techno-economic analysis of its potential use in these sectors.