MH21-S R&D consortium
- for pore filling hydrate in sand -

A long-term methane hydrate production test on the Alaska North Slope

• 1)Scenery of 7-11-12 pad(late-Aug)
• 2)Sprung structure under construction
• 3)The rig under mobilization (mid-Sep)
• 4)Preparation for drilling (late-Sep)
• 5)Drilling rig
• 6) Drilling rig with huge tires
• 7)Preparation of pressure coring equipment
• 8)Rig floor
• 9)Scenery (mid-Oct)
• 10)Sundog (Oct. 25)
• 11)Shuttle Bus between the camp and the drill site in the snow(late - Oct)
• 12)The camp view from 7-11-12 pad
• 13)Assembling LWD tools　
• 14)Scenery at 9 am (early Nov)
• 15)Pressure Coring tools　
• 16)Pressure Coring
• 17)Methane hydrate-bearing sediment
• 18)Quantitative degassing from pressure chamber
• 19)Transfer for inner barrel containing pressure core to Pressure Core Analysis and Transfer System (PCATS)
• 20)Core transfer to the Sprung Structure from the rig
• 21)Core operation international joint team with MH21-S,USGS and Geotek
• 22)Aurora
• 23)Connecting Vacuum Insulated Casing (VIC)
• 24)Sensor Cable Installation
• 25)Meeting in the Sprung Structure
• 26)Installing Module 5(Desander module)
• 27)Piping construction
• 28)Ice pad construction
• 29)Mud chiller filter
• 30)Nipple up BOP
• 31)Deadhorse Airport
• 32)Scenery of Anchorage
• 33)Electrical check of the power cable for the downhole electric heater
• 34)Sand control device
• 35)Pre-job safety meeting
• 36)MH21-S members
• 37)Well-site at -34 degrees Celsius
• 38)Evaporator
• 39)Installed generator and switchgear Module
• 40)Pipe bridge under construction
• 41)Pressure core arrival at the Hokkaido Center of AIST
• 42)Storage chambers for pressure cores
• 43)Core to be cut in the manipulator under pressure
• 44)End surface of pressure core under 10 MPa of water pressure
• 45)Sub-sampling after depressurization for further analyses (grain size, density, etc.)
• 46)X-ray diffraction analysis for evaluating the mineral composition of sediments
• 47)7-11-12 Gas hydrate test site (early-June 2023)
• 48)Downhole seismic source
• 49)Running into the hole with downhole seismic source(1)
• 50)Running into the hole with downhole seismic source(2)
• 51)Reviewing data acquisition procedures
• 52)Wellhouse, From left: STW, PTW-1、PTW-2、GDW (June 2023)
• 53)Tank yard
• 54)Microturbine generator
• 55)Switch gear
• 56)Desander unit
• 57)Pump module
• 58)7-11-12 Gas hydrate test site (Aug 2023)
• 59)Methane hydrate long-term production test site (Oct 2023)
• 60)Morning glow view taken from the operator's office in Anchorage(Feb 2024)
• 61)Research & Development Committee Meeting(RDC) held in Anchorage　(April 2024)
• 62)Spring in Anchorage (April 2024)
• 63)Methane hydrate long-term production test site (April 2024)
• 64)Long-term production test site (Sep 2023)
• 65)Long-term production test site (July 2024)
• 66)Downhole seismic sources(July 2024)
• 67)Running into the hole with downhole seismic sources (1) (July 2024)
• 68)Installation of the
  ｗireline BOP（July 2024)
• 69)Running into the hole with downhole seismic sources (2) (July 2024)
• 70)Piping around the Flare stack removed (Aug 2024)
• 71)Piping around Produced water tank removed (Aug 2024)
• 72)(Left) Overview of surface testing facilities as of July 2, 2024
  (Right) Overview of surface testing facilities as of September 17, 2024 (Produced water tanks removed, Sprung structure removed)
• 73)Participants of the Research & Development Committee Meeting (Nov 2024)
• 74)Vibroseis(1)
• 75)Vibroseis(2)
• 76)Checking acquired seismic data
• 77)Aurora(Mar 2025)