PDF Publication Title:
Text from PDF Page: 044
Chapter C, Bering Straits Fossil Fuel and Geothermal Energy Sources for Local Use in Alaska region largely comes from publicly available reports on data from two wells drilled in the early 1980s (Norton COST No. 1 and No. 2; Turner and others, 1983a; 1983b). Biostratigraphic data (microfossils and pollen) indicate the basin-filling succession is probably no older than Paleocene at its base. The Kotzebue basin lies mostly outside of the Bering Straits Energy Region, north of the Seward Peninsula. Similar to the Norton Basin, the Kotzebue basin is an extensional basin filled with a thick succession of Tertiary-age sedimentary rocks. The thinner part of the basin is penetrated by two onshore wells, which indicated volcanic-rich sediments in the lower part of the section and a dominantly nonmarine depositional environment for basin fill (Decker and others, 1987; Fisher, 1988). Further discussion of this basin can be found in the chapter for the Northwest Arctic Energy Region. Source rocks. Eight deep exploration wells were drilled in the offshore Norton basin south of Nome between 1980 and 1985, all of which were abandoned as dry holes. Although none of the wells discovered commercial hydrocarbons, all encountered moderate to strong shows of gas, often associated with coal-rich sediments, and three encountered weak oil shows. None of the shows were deemed promising enough to warrant a drill stem test (see summary and references in Troutman and Stanley, 2003). These well data demonstrate that the basin locally contains source rocks at depth that have generated some hydrocarbons. Extensive geochemical data collected from the two COST wells show that the deeper parts of the basin (mostly Eocene age) are sufficiently mature to generate thermogenic hydrocarbons (Turner and others, 1986). Most of the sediments are low in total organic carbon and the type of organic matter is prone to generating gas. The gas-generating potential of the Norton basin is also supported by the discovery of a large submarine gas seep originating approximately 30 miles south of Nome (Cline and Holmes, 1977). Although 98 percent of the gas was CO2 (non-hydrocarbon), analyses indicated the presence of small amounts of light hydrocarbons of probable thermogenic origin (Kvenvolden and Claypool, 1980). Reservoir rocks. Potential reservoir sandstones in the Norton basin are rich in metamorphic and volcanic rock fragments that are susceptible to compaction and reduced reservoir quality with increased burial depth (Turner and others, 1986). This effect is observed in conventional and sidewall core data from the COST wells. For example, in the COST No. 1 well, permeabilities are generally less than 1 millidarcy below 6,000 feet (Turner and others, 1983a). These low permeabilities limit the potential for conventional oil reservoir below this depth, although gas reservoirs may remain viable. There are notable exceptions to the trend of decreasing reservoir quality with depth, particularly in the Oligocene-age section in the COST No. 2 well where high- energy fluvial to shallow-marine deposits have a higher quartz content and have preserved adequate reservoir quality despite deep burial (Turner and others, 1986). Traps. The extension that created the Norton basin resulted in a variety of potential trapping mechanisms, including structural, depositional, and erosional processes. Elements of these trapping styles have been tested in the eight unsuccessful exploration wells, although available seismic mapping suggests many untested traps remain, particularly those associated with normal faults creating complex horst and graben structures (Minerals Management Service [MMS], 2006). Summary of conventional oil and gas resource potential. Sedimentary basins known to be capable of generating hydrocarbons are limited to the offshore portion of the Norton basin. Based on regional geology and the results from eight unsuccessful exploration wells, the U.S. Department of the Interior does not project undiscovered crude oil resources in the basin, although small amounts of liquid condensate are inferred to be present (MMS, 2006). Their mean estimate of natural gas in the basin is 3.06 TCF. Although this estimate indicates significant potential for undiscovered natural gas, the actual amount of this hypothetical resource that could be produced would be significantly smaller because many of the potential discoveries would not prove economically viable due to the high costs of offshore development. The potential for conventional oil and gas in the small Imuruk and Bendeleben basins is unknown, but likely to be very low. If hydrocarbons are present in these small nonmarine basins, it is most likely to be uneconomic amounts of biogenic gas. Unconventional Gas Potential Coalbed methane. Coal resources in the Bering Straits region are relatively poorly known. Most coal occurrences are relatively thin and low grade, which led authors of previous analyses of statewide coalbed methane potential to discount the Bering Straits region as a viable target for this type of rural energy (Tyler and others, 2000). The Boulder Creek basin area does contain locally developed thick coals of appropriate rank, particularly in the subsurface where uranium exploratory drilling has identified a 175-foot- thick coalbed (Dickinson and others, 1987). However, the anomalous rank results from localized thermal alteration by overlying lava flows and is not a basinwide trend (Stricker and Affolter, 1988). Further, the small size of the basin, its structural complexity, and its lateral variability suggest the potential for viable coalbed methane resources is very low. Tight gas sands. The potential for tight gas sands in the Imuruk and Bendeleben basins is unknown, but considered unlikely due to insufficient burial depth for the generation of thermogenic gas. Well data from the Norton basin suggest that tight gas sands could be present in the basin, particularly at depths greater than 6,000 feet where compaction reduces Bering Straits Page 28PDF Image | FOSSIL FUEL AND GEOTHERMAL ENERGY SOURCES FOR LOCAL USE
PDF Search Title:
FOSSIL FUEL AND GEOTHERMAL ENERGY SOURCES FOR LOCAL USEOriginal File Name Searched:
sr066.pdfDIY PDF Search: Google It | Yahoo | Bing
NFT (Non Fungible Token): Buy our tech, design, development or system NFT and become part of our tech NFT network... More Info
IT XR Project Redstone NFT Available for Sale: NFT for high tech turbine design with one part 3D printed counter-rotating energy turbine. Be part of the future with this NFT. Can be bought and sold but only one design NFT exists. Royalties go to the developer (Infinity) to keep enhancing design and applications... More Info
Infinity Turbine IT XR Project Redstone Design: NFT for sale... NFT for high tech turbine design with one part 3D printed counter-rotating energy turbine. Includes all rights to this turbine design, including license for Fluid Handling Block I and II for the turbine assembly and housing. The NFT includes the blueprints (cad/cam), revenue streams, and all future development of the IT XR Project Redstone... More Info
Infinity Turbine ROT Radial Outflow Turbine 24 Design and Worldwide Rights: NFT for sale... NFT for the ROT 24 energy turbine. Be part of the future with this NFT. This design can be bought and sold but only one design NFT exists. You may manufacture the unit, or get the revenues from its sale from Infinity Turbine. Royalties go to the developer (Infinity) to keep enhancing design and applications... More Info
Infinity Supercritical CO2 10 Liter Extractor Design and Worldwide Rights: The Infinity Supercritical 10L CO2 extractor is for botanical oil extraction, which is rich in terpenes and can produce shelf ready full spectrum oil. With over 5 years of development, this industry leader mature extractor machine has been sold since 2015 and is part of many profitable businesses. The process can also be used for electrowinning, e-waste recycling, and lithium battery recycling, gold mining electronic wastes, precious metals. CO2 can also be used in a reverse fuel cell with nafion to make a gas-to-liquids fuel, such as methanol, ethanol and butanol or ethylene. Supercritical CO2 has also been used for treating nafion to make it more effective catalyst. This NFT is for the purchase of worldwide rights which includes the design. More Info
NFT (Non Fungible Token): Buy our tech, design, development or system NFT and become part of our tech NFT network... More Info
Infinity Turbine Products: Special for this month, any plans are $10,000 for complete Cad/Cam blueprints. License is for one build. Try before you buy a production license. May pay by Bitcoin or other Crypto. Products Page... More Info
| CONTACT TEL: 608-238-6001 Email: greg@infinityturbine.com | RSS | AMP |