Conegas

R&D Project – Origin, Occurrence and Characterization of Gas Hydrate deposits in the Rio Grande Cone, Pelotas Basin.

Sponsor:
Petrobras

Period of execution
2010 to 2015

Project presentation:
Evaluate the existence, amount of resources and possible ways of exploiting gas hydrates in the Rio Grande Cone.
The project enabled the discovery, recovery and sampling of gas hydrates in the Pelotas Basin, representing the first official report proving their existence in Brazilian territory. Two shallow occurrences or “fields” of gas hydrates were discovered in the Rio Grande Cone, related to deep faults that generate fluid escape features close to the seabed. These fields were named as “Rio Grande Cone Gas Hydrates Province”. An active system of circulation of deep fluids that reach the sea floor through faults and form bottom features such as pockmarks and gas exudations in the water column, among other results, was also identified.