Managing Mature Gas Fields in the Netherlands - Future Outlook

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ferhat Yavuz ◽  
Eric Kreft ◽  
Maximiliaan R Gijbels
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Future Outlook ◽  
Gas Fields

Experimental and Modeling Study of Salt Precipitation During Injection of CO2 Contaminated With H2S Into Depleted Gas Fields in the Northeast of the Netherlands

SPE Journal ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (06) ◽  
pp. 1058-1068 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.. Bolourinejad ◽  
R.. Herber
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Carbonic Acid ◽  
Co2 Storage ◽  
Mineral Dissolution ◽  
Co2 Injection ◽  
Salt Precipitation ◽  
Geological Time ◽  
Core Samples ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2 ◽  
Gas Fields

Summary Depleted gas fields are among the most probable candidates for subsurface storage of carbon dioxide (CO2). With proven reservoir and qualified seal, these fields have retained gas over geological time scales. However, unlike methane, injection of CO2 changes the pH of the brine because of the formation of carbonic acid. Subsequent dissolution/precipitation of minerals changes the porosity/permeability of reservoir and caprock. Thus, for adequate, safe, and effective CO2 storage, the subsurface system needs to be fully understood. An important aspect for subsurface storage of CO2 is purity of this gas, which influences risk and cost of the process. To investigate the effects of CO2 plus impurities in a real case example, we have carried out medium-term (30-day) laboratory experiments (300 bar, 100°C) on reservoir and caprock core samples from gas fields in the northeast of the Netherlands. In addition, we attempted to determine the maximum allowable concentration of one of the possible impurities in the CO2 stream [hydrogen sulfide (H2S)] in these fields. The injected gases—CO2, CO2+100 ppm H2S, and CO2+5,000 ppm H2S—were reacting with core samples and brine (81 g/L Na+, 173 g/L Cl−, 22 g/L Ca2+, 23 g/L Mg2+, 1.5 g/L K+, and 0.2 g/L SO42−). Before and after the experiments, the core samples were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) for mineralogical variations. The permeability of the samples was also measured. After the experiments, dissolution of feldspars, carbonates, and kaolinite was observed as expected. In addition, we observed fresh precipitation of kaolinite. However, two significant results were obtained when adding H2S to the CO2 stream. First, we observed precipitation of sulfate minerals (anhydrite and pyrite). This differs from results after pure CO2 injection, where dissolution of anhydrite was dominant in the samples. Second, severe salt precipitation took place in the presence of H2S. This is mainly caused by the nucleation of anhydrite and pyrite, which enabled halite precipitation, and to a lesser degree by the higher solubility of H2S in water and higher water content of the gas phase in the presence of H2S. This was confirmed by the use of CMG-GEM (CMG 2011) modeling software. The precipitation of halite, anhydrite, and pyrite affects the permeability of the samples in different ways. After pure CO2 and CO2+100 ppm H2S injection, permeability of the reservoir samples increased by 10–30% and ≤3%, respectively. In caprock samples, permeability increased by a factor of 3–10 and 1.3, respectively. However, after addition of 5,000 ppm H2S, the permeability of all samples decreased significantly. In the case of CO2+100 ppm H2S, halite, anhydrite, and pyrite precipitation did balance mineral dissolution, causing minimal variation in the permeability of samples.

scholarly journals Belonging to and in the Shale Gas Fields. A Case-Study of the Noordoostpolder, the Netherlands

2017 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 604-624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michiel Köhne ◽  
Elisabet Dueholm Rasch
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Shale Gas ◽  
Gas Fields

scholarly journals Categorizing seismic risk for the onshore gas fields in the Netherlands

2018 ◽  
Vol 237 ◽  
pp. 198-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. van Thienen-Visser ◽  
J.A. Roholl ◽  
B.M.M. van Kempen ◽  
A.G. Muntendam-Bos
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Seismic Risk ◽  
Gas Fields

scholarly journals Geomechanical models for induced seismicity in the Netherlands: inferences from simplified analytical, finite element and rupture model approaches

2017 ◽  
Vol 96 (5) ◽  
pp. s183-s202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan-Diederik Van Wees ◽  
Peter A. Fokker ◽  
Karin Van Thienen-Visser ◽  
Brecht B.T. Wassing ◽  
Sander Osinga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Seismic Moment ◽  
Induced Seismicity ◽  
Central Area ◽  
Pressure Change ◽  
Seismicity Rates ◽  
Stress Changes ◽  
Pressure Depletion ◽  
Rupture Model ◽  
Gas Fields

AbstractIn the Netherlands, over 190 gas fields of varying size have been exploited, and 15% of these have shown seismicity. The prime cause for seismicity due to gas depletion is stress changes caused by pressure depletion and by differential compaction. The observed onset of induced seismicity due to gas depletion in the Netherlands occurs after a considerable pressure drop in the gas fields. Geomechanical studies show that both the delay in the onset of induced seismicity and the nonlinear increase in seismic moment observed for the induced seismicity in the Groningen field can be explained by a model of pressure depletion, if the faults causing the induced seismicity are not critically stressed at the onset of depletion. Our model shows concave patterns of log moment with time for individual faults. This suggests that the growth of future seismicity could well be more limited than would be inferred from extrapolation of the observed trend between production or compaction and seismicity. The geomechanical models predict that seismic moment increase should slow down significantly immediately after a production decrease, independently of the decay rate of the compaction model. These findings are in agreement with the observed reduced seismicity rates in the central area of the Groningen field immediately after production decrease on 17 January 2014. The geomechanical model findings therefore support scope for mitigating induced seismicity by adjusting rates of production and associated pressure change. These simplified models cannot serve as comprehensive models for predicting induced seismicity in any particular field. To this end, a more detailed field-specific study, taking into account the full complexity of reservoir geometry, depletion history and mechanical properties, is required.

Combining analytical and numerical modelling of gas flow in depleted natural gas fields to identify potential Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS) sites in the Netherlands 

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joaquim Juez-Larre ◽  
Cintia Gonçalves Machado ◽  
Hamid Yousefi ◽  
Remco Groenenberg
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Numerical Modelling ◽  
Hydrogen Storage ◽  
Storage Capacity ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
Gas Fields ◽  
Underground Reservoirs

<p>The Netherlands is seeking ways to integrate large amounts of renewable energy production capacity (wind/solar) into its energy system, in order to reduce CO<sub>2</sub> emissions and decrease dependency on future energy imports. Currently the Netherlands uses underground gas storage (UGS) to provide flexibility to its natural gas system, and secure supply during the winter season. However, hydrogen is considered to be a potential candidate to substitute natural gas, because it is a versatile energy carrier that can be produced from renewable electricity and be used as a CO<sub>2</sub>-neutral fuel and feedstock. It can also be stored in large amounts underground. Storage of compressed hydrogen in salt caverns is a proven technology, with single-cavern storage capacities in the range of 10-100 million m<sup>3</sup>. Yet some studies on the future Dutch energy system suggest much larger volumes of hydrogen storage may be required (1 to 50 billion m<sup>3</sup>). This large storage capacity can only be practically achieved in depleted natural gas fields. UHS in gas fields is not yet a proven technology. Only some pilot projects have successfully injected small amounts of hydrogen in some available underground reservoirs. In order to make possible future development of UHS, screening methodologies are needed for the readily identification and characterization of potential underground candidates. In this study, we develop a methodology that allows assessing UHS performances of large portfolios of underground reservoirs. As a case study we use the entire portfolio of natural gas fields in the Netherlands, including three UGSs.</p><p>In a first stage of our study, we conducted a nodal analysis of the Inflow Performance Relationship (IPR) and the vertical flow performance (outflow) curves, in order to obtain a first order estimate of the potential UHS performance for each field (e.g. rates of injection/withdrawal, working/cushion gas volumes and ranges of working pressures). Results show that withdrawal performances of wells in an UHS can be 2-3 times higher than those in an UGS. High bottom-hole drawdowns and erosional velocities in the production tubing may however significantly restrict the potential flow of hydrogen. Furthermore, the working gas volume of an UHS may contain up to four times less energy than that of an UGS, if operated at the same ranges of working pressures. Secondly, we used Eclipse 300, and the geological Petrel model of some of the best candidates, to conduct a more detail analysis of their potential UHS performances and the controlling factors. For that we ran consecutive injection/withdrawal cycles at different timescales (daily-weekly-monthly), and distinct working pressure ranges and types of cushion gas (e.g. nitrogen/hydrogen). Results allow to determine the efficiency of the different operational strategies and the number of wells required to match the expected future demands of hydrogen in the Netherlands. They also show the degree of hydrogen mixing with the residual and cushion gas during each cycle. Therefore our analytical/numerical modelling approach provides a good methodology to quantify and rank potential UHS reservoir candidates, and a means to classify the potential storage capacity of the entire portfolio.</p>

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