資源量評価の現状(<特集>海底下に眠るメタンハイドレート資源の開発に向けて-研究開発の最新動向I)

概要

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Methane hydrates, which are ice like materials and constructed with methane and water molecules, can occur in underground circumstances satisfying low temperature and high pressure conditions so that they are spread widely under permafrost and deep water areas. It is thought that methane hydrate is one of occurrence type of methane and can be future energy resources. BSR (bottom simulating reflector) occurs at the basement of methane hydrate stability zone and therefore it is used to detect occurrences of methane hydrates in deep waters using reflection seismic data. At the same time, BSR is only the first step for methane hydrate exploration because BSR does not provide information about thickness, saturation and type of methane hydrate bearing zone. From the viewpoint of resource exploration, practical methods to analyze details of methane hydrate resource fields have been required. Through the inspection based on BSR (bottom simulating reflector) and other seismic characteristics, more than 10 methane hydrate concentrated zones, of which reservoir are turbidite sand bodies, were discovered in the eastern Nankai trough area by using 2D/3D seismic and multi-wells drilling data. Total amount of methane gas in place contained in them was estimated to be 20 tcf.
2011-12-20