Stranded gas reserve
Encyclopedia
A stranded gas reserve is found in a natural gas field
which has been discovered, but remains unusable for either physical or economic reasons. Gas that is found within an oil well
is conventionally regarded as associated gas and has historically been flare
d. Now gas is circulated back into oil wells to maintain extraction pressure or converted into electricity using gas powered engines.
. The largest gas plant in the United States exists there exclusively to reinject the associated gas into the oil fields. Marketing of the gas awaits the completion of the Alaska gas pipeline to carry it to the lower 48 states. Building of the pipeline has been delayed by the availability of low-cost natural gas in Canada and development of non-conventional gas
fields in the lower 48 states, as well as political considerations.
Canada has a large amount of stranded gas in its Arctic Islands
, Beaufort Sea
, and Mackenzie Delta
. Marketing of this gas would require completion of the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline
to bring it south along the Mackenzie River
. Some companies would like to combine it with Alaska gas by building a pipeline offshore in the Arctic Ocean
from Alaska to the Mackenzie Delta. The government of Alaska
is resisting such option because it would prefer to bring the gas first to southern Alaska, and then transport it across the Yukon
along the Alaska Highway
. In either case, the pipeline would feed into the continental distribution system in northern Alberta
.
Russia, which has the world's largest natural gas reserves, has much of gas stranded in Siberia
. In some cases, the easiest way to bring it to market would be by pipelines across the Bering Strait
, and then feeding it into the proposed Alaska gas pipeline. Other options include moving it south to China, or west to Europe. Another alternative would be to build liquefied natural gas
(LNG) terminals at Siberian ports, where it could be shipped to any port in the world with an LNG regasification
terminal.
Natural gas field
Oil and natural gas are produced by the same geological process according fossil fuel suggestion: anaerobic decay of organic matter deep under the Earth's surface. As a consequence, oil and natural gas are often found together...
which has been discovered, but remains unusable for either physical or economic reasons. Gas that is found within an oil well
Oil well
An oil well is a general term for any boring through the earth's surface that is designed to find and acquire petroleum oil hydrocarbons. Usually some natural gas is produced along with the oil. A well that is designed to produce mainly or only gas may be termed a gas well.-History:The earliest...
is conventionally regarded as associated gas and has historically been flare
Gas flare
A gas flare, alternatively known as a flare stack, is an elevated vertical conveyance found accompanying the presence of oil wells, gas wells, rigs, refineries, chemical plants, natural gas plants, and landfills....
d. Now gas is circulated back into oil wells to maintain extraction pressure or converted into electricity using gas powered engines.
Economically stranded gas
A reserve of gas can be economically stranded for one of two reasons:- The reserve may be too remoteRemoteRemote may refer to:* Remote control, commonly known as a remote* Remote broadcast, commonly known in broadcasting as a person or a live remote* Remote access* Remote desktop...
from a market for natural gas, making construction of pipelinePipeline transportPipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquids and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air are also used....
s prohibitively expensive. - The reserve may be in a region where demand for gas is saturatedMarket saturationIn economics, "market saturation" is a term used to describe a situation in which a product has become diffused within a market; the actual level of saturation can depend on consumer purchasing power; as well as competition, prices, and technology....
, and the cost of exporting gas beyond this region is excessive. Such reserve is the most likely to be tapped in the future when existing sources begin to deplete.
Physically stranded gas
A gas field that is too deep to drill for, or is beneath an obstruction, may be considered physically stranded. Continuous development of drilling technology provides access to many difficult-to-access fields.Examples of stranded gas
Alaska has a large reserve of natural gas stranded in its Prudhoe Bay oil fieldPrudhoe Bay oil field
Prudhoe Bay Oil Field is a large oil field on Alaska's North Slope. It is the largest oil field in both the United States and in North America, covering and originally containing approximately of oil.. BP. August 2006...
. The largest gas plant in the United States exists there exclusively to reinject the associated gas into the oil fields. Marketing of the gas awaits the completion of the Alaska gas pipeline to carry it to the lower 48 states. Building of the pipeline has been delayed by the availability of low-cost natural gas in Canada and development of non-conventional gas
Shale gas
Shale gas is natural gas produced from shale. Shale gas has become an increasingly important source of natural gas in the United States over the past decade, and interest has spread to potential gas shales in the rest of the world...
fields in the lower 48 states, as well as political considerations.
Canada has a large amount of stranded gas in its Arctic Islands
Arctic Islands
Arctic Islands may refer to:* Canadian Arctic islands* Islands in the Arctic, see :Category:Islands of the Arctic Ocean* Russian Arctic islands...
, Beaufort Sea
Beaufort Sea
The Beaufort Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, and Alaska, west of Canada's Arctic islands. The sea is named after hydrographer Sir Francis Beaufort...
, and Mackenzie Delta
Mackenzie River
The Mackenzie River is the largest river system in Canada. It flows through a vast, isolated region of forest and tundra entirely within the country's Northwest Territories, although its many tributaries reach into four other Canadian provinces and territories...
. Marketing of this gas would require completion of the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline
Mackenzie Valley Pipeline
The Mackenzie Valley Pipeline is a proposed project to transport natural gas from the Beaufort Sea through Canada's Northwest Territories to tie into gas pipelines in northern Alberta. The project was first proposed in the early 1970s, but was scrapped following an inquiry conducted by Justice...
to bring it south along the Mackenzie River
Mackenzie River
The Mackenzie River is the largest river system in Canada. It flows through a vast, isolated region of forest and tundra entirely within the country's Northwest Territories, although its many tributaries reach into four other Canadian provinces and territories...
. Some companies would like to combine it with Alaska gas by building a pipeline offshore in the Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
from Alaska to the Mackenzie Delta. The government of Alaska
Government of Alaska
The government of Alaska is divided into various departments. Alaska has 246 federally recognized tribal governments and one federal Indian reservation.-History:...
is resisting such option because it would prefer to bring the gas first to southern Alaska, and then transport it across the Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
along the Alaska Highway
Alaska Highway
The Alaska Highway was constructed during World War II for the purpose of connecting the contiguous U.S. to Alaska through Canada. It begins at the junction with several Canadian highways in Dawson Creek, British Columbia and runs to Delta Junction, Alaska, via Whitehorse, Yukon...
. In either case, the pipeline would feed into the continental distribution system in northern Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
.
Russia, which has the world's largest natural gas reserves, has much of gas stranded in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
. In some cases, the easiest way to bring it to market would be by pipelines across the Bering Strait
Bering Strait
The Bering Strait , known to natives as Imakpik, is a sea strait between Cape Dezhnev, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia, the easternmost point of the Asian continent and Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska, USA, the westernmost point of the North American continent, with latitude of about 65°40'N,...
, and then feeding it into the proposed Alaska gas pipeline. Other options include moving it south to China, or west to Europe. Another alternative would be to build liquefied natural gas
Liquefied natural gas
Liquefied natural gas or LNG is natural gas that has been converted temporarily to liquid form for ease of storage or transport....
(LNG) terminals at Siberian ports, where it could be shipped to any port in the world with an LNG regasification
Gasification
Gasification is a process that converts organic or fossil based carbonaceous materials into carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane. This is achieved by reacting the material at high temperatures , without combustion, with a controlled amount of oxygen and/or steam...
terminal.