Introducing SUMECO:

SUbmarine MEthane

COllecting system

Martin Hovland, Tech Team Solutions, Dec. 2014

(Prof emeritus, Centre for Geobiology,

University of Bergen / TechTeam Solutions,

Stavanger, Norway)

- Harvesting methane seeps

- System configuration

- System elements

- Operations

- Conclusions

Harvesting methane seeps in the

ocean

3

The image is from

Niemann et al. (2005),

from the Tommeliten

seep location in the

central North Sea. (See

also Hovland et al.,

1988, and Judd &

Hovland, 2007)

4

Configuration

Seafloor GL

SUMECO

GL = Gas leak

5

The elements

SUMECO

5 9 6 5

7 1

8 3

2

10

7 4

11

6

SUMECO elements

• 1 Cylindrical steel or aluminium tank

• 2 Funnel for collecting seeping gas

• 3 Valve for letting out water from tank

• 4 Valve for letting gas into the tank

• 5 Valves for filling water into the tank

• 6 Lifting point for tank

• 7 Towing points for tank

• 8 Skids for landing the tank on seafloor

• 9 Control unit for tank operations

• 10 Anchor and hoisting gear for arresting tank on seafloor

• 11 Buoy and tackle-housing

Operations

SUMECO

GL

OM 2

- Open valves and fill with water

- The tank sinks to bottom and is

- Positioned over the delivery seep

OM 3

- Emplace extra bracelet anchor

over the tank

- Close all valves except funnel

valve and the bottom valve, which

will dispose of the water during gas

filling.

- When tank is filled with gas, close

all valves and take away extra

bracelet anchor

- The tank floats to surface with

compressed gas and can be towed

to shore.

- With SUMECO, it is possible to

-Collect, without intrusive elements

-methane from seafloor seeps,

-inside a retrievable container.

-Tow it to land with overpressure.

-Utilize the methane directly for

-local energy consumption.

-There are numerous size and volume options

for this system.

Literature:

- Hovland, M., 2007. Discovery of prolific natural methane seeps at Gullfaks,

northern North Sea. Geo-Marine Letters, DOI 10.1007/s00367-007-0070-6.

- Hovland, M. and Judd, A.G., 1988. Seabed Pockmarks and Seepages.

Impact on Geology, Biology and the Marine Environment. Graham &

Trotman Ltd., London, 293 pp.

- Judd, A.G., Hovland, M., 2007. Submarine Fluid Flow, the Impact on

Geology, Biology, and the Marine Environment. Cambridge University

Press. 475pp.

- Niemann, H., Elvert, M., Hovland, M., Orcutt, B., Judd, A.G., Suck, I.,

Gutt, J., Joye, S., Damm, E., Finster, K., Boetius, A., 2005. Methane

emission and consumption at a North Sea gas seep (Tommeliten area).

Biogeosciences 2, 335-351.

- Westbrook, G.K., the Wet of Svalbard Methane Hydrate team, 2009.

Plumes of bubbles release gas from the seabed along the West Spitsbergen

continental margin. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 11, EGU2009-8345.

That’s all folks

Photo credit: Statoil ASA