The Messoyakha gas field is a natural gas field

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...

 located in the north of the West Siberian Basin, where there are many large fields

Giant oil and gas fields

The world's 932 giant oil and gas fields are considered those with of ultimately recoverable oil or gas equivalent. Geoscientists believe these giants account for 40 percent of the world's petroleum reserves. They are clustered in 27 regions of the world, with the largest clusters in the Persian...

, where the presence of gas hydrates has been documented. The Messoyakha gas field is often used as an example of production of in-situ gas hydrates. There is conflicting evidence as to whether the gas hydrates are being produced currently with some research indicating that the production data demonstrates their production. Other research suggest that the gas hydrates are not contributing to the current production.

Production history

Messoyakha was brought into production in 1970 and was brought out of production by 1978. Production was resumed at a significantly lower rate in 1980 and continues to this day. During the initial production rate the pressure drop in the reservoir did not decrease as rapidly as expected and increased by 2 megapascals (19.7 atm) when shut-off between 1978-80.

Petroleum engineers and geologists point to the subsequent production from 1980 and the increase in pressure as evidence of the gas hydrates producing into the Messoyakha reservoir formation.

Messoyakha Gas Hydrates Reservoir

The Messoyakha reservoir is located underneath the gas hydrate where it is believed that the depressurization of the reservoir due to conventional gas production led to the depressurization and dissociation of gas from the hydrates. The Messoyakha gas field is enclosed in an anticlinal structure trap and is overlain by a 420 to 480 m thick permafrost zone.