WOC1 Post WGC 2009 Conference
24th World Gas Conference
WOC 1 – Exploration and Production
WOC 1 arranged 2 Committee Sessions, 2 Oral and 1 Poster Sessions at Expert Forum.
Selection of papers for the Sessions was made very carefully by WOC1, because more than 140 abstracts have been submitted and competition was very high. Audience interest for the Committee Sessions was also high: about 140 attendees at the Session “Difficult Reservoirs and Unconventional Natural Gas Resources” (October 6), about 120 attendees at Committee Session “Remaining Conventional World Gas Resources and Technological Challenges for heir Development” (October 7) and more that 80 attendees at each Oral Expert Forum Session “Exploration of New Reserves and Areas” (October 7) and “Production and Processing Techniques” (October 8).
Committee Session 1.1 “Difficult Reservoirs and Unconventional Natural Gas Resources” was focused on resources assessment and problems of exploration and production of gas from unconventional sources and difficult reservoirs. Vice-Chairman of WOC1, Mr. Kamel Chikhi from Algeria presented results of the Study made by WOC 1 on this topic in the triennium 2006-2009. Then there were presentations on 4 the most promising kinds of unconventional gas sources: hydrates, coalbed methane, tight gas and shale gas made by WOC1 member and invited independent experts. Key messages that come from this Session are:
- Role of unconventional gas in general World energy balance is growing faster than it was expected in 2006.
- Unconventional gas sources can be divided into 2 groups: really unconventional (coalbed methane, shale gas, gas hydrates, underground water-disolved gas) and pseudo-unconventional (tight formation gas, deep (more than 4,5 km) gas, sour gas). This is important for future governmental regulation of production.
- Investment approach for unconventional gas must be different from conventional ones: much more patience is required for profit appearance.
Committee Session 1.2 “Remaining Conventional World Gas Resources and Technological Challenges for their Development” was focused on mature regions, prospects of exploration and production there and innovative technologies of produced gas monetization. Study Group 1.1 Leader Mr.Dominique Copin made a presentation of the study results on mature areas and then there were 4 presentations of invited experts on prospects of remaining conventional gas resources development, gas production paradigm change (after unconventional gas production start), gas monetization, largest gas production project development in Yamal peninsula (Russia). Key messages that come from this Session are:
- There is general trend in all mature areas studied: no considerable conventional gas reserves increase last years, although total number of discovered fields is growing constantly.
- More and more gas is produced from smaller and more complex fields than earlier in mature areas.
- New huge gas production projects are based on discoveries made decades ago.
- Offshore areas are the most promising for new huge discoveries.
- Hubbert Paradigm is true for conventional gas production, but should be reconsidered if unconventional gas production takes share.
- Gas monetization technologies development and application are moving ahead, but slower than expected in 2006.
The 2 Oral Expert Fora were focused on Exploration of New Reserves and Areas (EF 1.A) and Production and Processing Techniques (EF 1.B). There were presentations on Different Approaches to E&P In Frontier & Mature Basins, The Resource Potential & Development Trend Of Unconventional Gas Resources, Implementation of the huge Shtokman Project, Utilisation Of The Methane From Working & Abandoned Coal Mines, Shale Gas, Ecological Solutions For Arctic Offshore Gas Resources Development, Gas Potential Of The Subandean Basins, Application of New Technology To Tight Gas Development, Hydraulic Fracturing & Acidising Techniques in Complex Natural Gas Reservoirs, Sweetening Technologies, Complex Solution of the Problem Of Effective Development & Exploitation at huge gas field, Field Optimiser For A Complex Gas Production System, Management Of Flow Assurance Constraints In Remote Arctic Environment. All presentations were of high quality and caused great interest from audience.
WOC 1 Poster Session included 14 posters from 9 countries. There were presentations on unconventional gas resources, new techniques in exploration, production, processing and gas monetization.
At whole, WOC 1 Sessions have shown increasing interest to IGU from big gas producing countries such as Russia, USA, China, Brazil, Iran. New findings in E&P were shown at the 24 WGC. Many of them concerned unconventional gas, showing its growing importance for world gas industry development.