PENG 4304 Natural Gas Engineering

Properties of Natural Gases

Dr. Zhengwen Zane Zeng
Associate Professor
Petroleum Engineering
University of Texas of Permian Basin

Tasks
Introduction
Instructors bio
Students self introduction

Syllabus review
Keyword of the day
Syllabus

Instructors bio
Professional experience:
UTPB: Associate Professor, 2016-present
BP: Sr. Fracturing Geomechanics Engineer 2012-2015
UND: Assistant/Associate Professor 2005/2011-2012
NMT PRRC: Res Asso./Scientist 2002/2003-2005
OU: Grad. Res Assistant: 1996-2002
IoG, CEA: Res Assis./Assoc. Prof. 1993/1995-1996
SW Jiaotong U: Teaching Assist.: 1987-1989
Education:
PhD Petroleum & Geological Engineering, OU, 2002
DSc Tectono-physics, IoG CEA, 1993
MSc Engineering Geology, SWTU, 1987
BSc Engineering Geology, SWTU, 1984

Instructors bio
Professional experience:
UTPB: Associate Professor, 2016-present
BP: Sr. Fracturing Geomechanics Engineer 2012-2015
UND: Assistant/Associate Professor 2005/2011-2012
NMT PRRC: Res Asso./Scientist 2002/2003-2005
OU: Grad. Res Assistant: 1996-2002
IoG, CEA: Res Assis./Assoc. Prof. 1993/1995-1996
SW Jiaotong U: Teaching Assist.: 1987-1989
Education:
PhD Petroleum & Geological Engineering, OU, 2002
DSc Tectono-physics, IoG CEA, 1993
MSc Engineering Geology, SWTU, 1987
BSc Engineering Geology, SWTU, 1984

Syllabus review

Syllabus review

Syllabus review

Syllabus review

Syllabus review

Syllabus review

10

Syllabus review

11

Syllabus review

12

13

14

Homework Reports, Policies

and Expectations

Homework reports are due at the beginning of class on

the due date. Late reports get 50% off. No reports more
than two days late will be accepted.

You will work in groups of 3-4. Designate a coordinator,

recorder, checker and monitor for each assignment (monitor
and checker is the same person in groups of three). Rotate
the roles for each assignment.

Coordinator arranges meetings and keeps everyone on task during

meetings.
Recorder prepares the final solutions to be turned in. All solutions
must be prepared in the same handwriting by the recorder.
Monitor makes sure all group members understand the solution.
Checker double-checks the work before it is handed in. Checker
turns in the assignment with the names of team members (and their
role) who participated actively in completing it. If the checker
cannot make it to class on the due date, it is his/her responsibility to
make sure someone turns it in.

 Prior to group meetings, all members will have

a solution outline for each problem and be ready
to discuss the problems with other members.
Homework reports must be prepared in a
professional manner. All steps must be shown
and be clear and logical. Prepare the assignments
as if you were submitting work to your supervisor
for checking and approval. The key is that all
concerned (co-workers, your boss, her/his boss,
clients, etc.) need to understand what you are
doing, what the result is and how you got it.

 If a team member does not contribute to an

assignment, his/her name should not be on the work.
If the problem continues, the team should meet with
the instructor to resolve the problem. If no resolution
is made, the contributing team members will notify the
individual in writing (copy to instructor) that he/she
may be fired. If there is no improvement, the
individual will be notified that he/she is off the team
(copy to instructor). Similarly, students who
consistently do most of the work may issue a warning
memo to the group that they will quit unless
cooperation improves and a second memo quitting the
team if necessary (copies of both to the instructor).
Students who quit or are fired must find a team of less
than four willing to accept them; otherwise they get no
credit for the remainder of the assignments.

 Please hand in the group

formations by next lecture.
Those who dont form their own
group will be grouped arbitrarily.

Introduction

What is Natural Gas?

Utilization of Natural Gas
Natural Gas Industry
Natural Gas Reserves
Natural Gas Resources
Future of Natural Gases
20

What Is Natural Gas?

Natural gas:
A naturally occurring mixture of hydrocarbon with a minor
amount of inorganic compounds
The principal component is methane
Found in porous geological formations beneath the earths
surface.
colorless, shapeless, and odorless in its pure form

Conventional: Natural gas accumulations in

geological traps---Reservoir

A porous and permeable underground formation

Containing an individual bank of hydrocarbons
Confined by impermeable rock or water barriers
Characterized by a single natural pressure system.

21

What Is Natural Gas?

Unconventional gas
Shale gas
Tight sand gas
Coalbed methane
Gas hydrate in deepwater

22
(EIA, 2010)

How was natural gas originated?

23
(Archer & Wall, 1986)

Typical Composition of Natural Gas

Typical Composition of Natural Gas
Methane

CH4

70-90%

Ethane

C2H6

Propane

C3H8

Butane

C4H10

Carbon Dioxide

CO2

Oxygen

O2

0-0.2%

Nitrogen

N2

0-5%

Hydrogen sulphide

H2S

0-5%

Rare gases

A, He, Ne, Xe

trace

0-20%

0-8%

http://www.naturalgas.org/overview/background.asp

24

Utilization of Natural Gas

25

Natural Gas Industry

1.4 %
6.6 %
6.6 %

2.6 %

Crude oil
Natural Gas
35.3 %

Coal
NGL
Hydroelectric

24.1 %

Nuclear
All other
23.5 %

In the last 25 years, the importance of natural gas has increased:

Developed or established significant infrastructure of pipelines and
compressor stations
Successful liquefied natural gas projects

26

Natural Gas Reserves

US Reserve:
Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that there are 2,587 Tcf
of technically recoverable natural gas in the United States. This includes
undiscovered, unproved, and unconventional natural gas. (January 2008)
World Natural Gas Reserves

27

Top Natural Gas Producing States, 2007 (Adopted from EIA)

Rank

State

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

Texas
Wyoming
Oklahoma
New Mexico
Louisiana
Colorado
Alaska
Utah
Kansas
California
Alabama
Arkansas
Michigan
West Virginia
Pennsylvania

Marketed
Production1
Million Cubic Feet
6,091,724
1,923,224
1,744,393
1,544,830
1,363,538
1,242,571
433,485
376,409
365,877
307,160
270,407
269,886
264,907
231,184
182,277

28

Natural Gas Resources

Conventional natural gas

Unconventional natural gas

Gas in tight sands

Gas in shale
Gas in coal (Coal-bed methane)
Gas in gas hydrates
Gas in geopressured (abnormally high pressure) reservoirs

29

Natural Gas Resources

Conventional gas:
Non-associated gas is from reservoirs with
minimal oil.
Associated gas is the gas dissolved in oil
under natural conditions in the oil
reservoir.
Gas condensate refers to gas with high
content of liquid hydrocarbon at reduced
pressures and temperatures.
30

Natural Gas Resources

Unconventional gas:
Tight sand gas: porosities of 5-15%,
immobile water saturations of 50-70%, and
gas permeability of 0.001 to 1 md.
Shale gas: reservoirs can have porosities up to
12% but permeability < 1 md.
Coal-bed methane: The gas in coal mines
adsorbed onto coal surfaces and accumulated
in fractures.
31

Natural Gas Resources

Geopressured gas reservoirs contain gas in
abnormal pressures than that must be due to
normal geostatic gradient.
Gas hydrates is a special type of resource (.i.e.
natural gas in solid phase). As many areas in
the world contain in really extensive deposits,
hydrate resources are called as the natural gas
resources of the future.

32

33

Future:

Major unconventional oil, gas and coal-bed methane plays

Bakken:
7.38 B
Gulf Coast:
1.73 B
Appalachian: 0.94 B
N Alaska:
0.94 B
Permian:
0.51 B
Paradox River: 0.47 B
Powder River: 0.42 B
Anadarko:
0.39 B

OIL

20 B (USGS 2016)

SW Wyo.:
80.58TCF
Appalachian:
51.71TCF
San Juan:
26.18 TCF
Uinta-Piceance: 18.83 TCF
Arkoma:
6.79 TCF
N.C. Montana: 6.19 TCF
E. Coast Mesoz.: 3.86 TCF
E. Oreg.-Wash.: 2.12 TCF

Gas

San Juan:
24.24 TCF
N. Alaska:
18.06 TCF
Powder River: 14.26 TCF
Appalachian:
8.40 TCF
Black Warrior : 7.05 TCF
Gulf Coast:
4.06 TCF

CBM
34
(USGS 2014)

Dry Gas Reserves, USA (EOY 2003; TCF)

Conventional: 102.
Tight Gas: 59.
Coalbed Methane: 19.
Shale Gas: 9.
Total: 189.
Unconventional: 87 (46%) of total.

35

Market Drivers
North American Unconventional Gas

Conventional reservoir depletion in traditional supply

areas

Advances in drilling and stimulation technologies

High gas prices (?)

Political stability

Improved understanding of how to commercialize

gigantic resource plays

Clean energy

Exportation
36

TCF/year

Unconventional Reservoirs Increasingly

Dominate US Gas Production

(Western Canada
2-3 TCF/year)

AEO 2006

37
NA=non-associated
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/pdf/trend_4.pdf

USA gas future: gas to replace coal

Natural gas and renewables lead the growth!

Shale gas is the champion!

38
(EIA, 2015)

USA unconventional oil & gas

Summary
Definition and main compositions of natural gas
Types of natural gas resources
Types of conventional gas
Unconventional gas types

Importance of unconventional gas

Future of natural gas
40