Hydrate phase transition and seepage mechanism during natural gas hydrates production tests in the South China Sea: A review and prospect

Natural gas hydrates (NGHs) are globally recognized as an important type of strategic alternative energy due to their high combustion efficiency, cleanness, and large amounts of resources. The NGHs reservoirs in the South China Sea (SCS) mainly consist of clayey silts. NGHs reservoirs of this type boast the largest distribution range and the highest percentage of resources among NGHs reservoirs in the world. However, they are more difficult to exploit than sandy reservoirs. The China Geological Survey successfully carried out two NGHs production tests in the Shenhu Area in the northern SCS in 2017 and 2020, setting multiple world records, such as the longest gas production time, the highest total gas production, and the highest average daily gas production, as well as achieving a series of innovative theoretical results. As suggested by the in-depth research on the two production tests, key factors that restrict the gas production efficiency of hydrate dissociation include reservoir structure characterization, hydrate phase transition, multiphase seepage and permeability enhancement, and the simulation and regulation of production capacity, among which the hydrate phase transition and seepage mechanism are crucial. Study results reveal that the hydrate phase transition in the SCS is characterized by low dissociation temperature, is prone to produce secondary hydrates in the reservoirs, and is a complex process under the combined effects of the seepage, stress, temperature, and chemical fields. The multiphase seepage is controlled by multiple factors such as the physical properties of unconsolidated reservoirs, the hydrate phase transition, and exploitation methods and is characterized by strong methane adsorption, abrupt changes in absolute permeability, and the weak flow capacity of gas. To ensure the long-term, stable, and efficient NGHs exploitation in the SCS, it is necessary to further enhance the reservoir seepage capacity and increase gas production through secondary reservoir stimulation based on initial reservoir stimulation. With the constant progress in the NGHs industrialization, great efforts should be made to tackle the difficulties, such as determining the micro-change in temperature and pressure, the response mechanisms of material-energy exchange, the methods for efficient NGHs dissociation, and the boundary conditions for the formation of secondary hydrates in the large-scale, long-term gas production.©2022 China Geology Editorial Office.     

天然气水合物勘探开发技术研究进展

天然气水合物是一种具有巨大潜在开发价值的海洋新型能源矿产，近30年来，各国相继开展了海洋天然气水合物的勘探和开发技术的研究，天然气水合物的勘探技术日趋成熟，而开发技术基本上还都处于实验阶段，与国外正在形成的天然气水合物研究热潮相比，我国对天然气合物研究尚处于起步阶段。     

中国南海天然气水合物开采储层水合物相变与渗流机理:综述与展望

【研究目的】中国地质调查局先后于2017年、2020年在南海北部神狐海域成功实施两轮水合物试采,创造了产气时间最长、产气总量最大、日均产气量最高等多项世界纪录,了解和掌握南海天然气水合物开采储层相变与渗流机理,有助于进一步揭示该类型水合物分解机理、产出规律、增产机制等,可为中国海域水合物资源规模高效开采提供理论基础。【研究方法】基于两轮试采实践,笔者通过深入研究发现,储层结构表征、水合物相变、多相渗流与增渗、产能模拟与调控是制约水合物分解产气效率的重要因素。【研究结果】研究表明,南海水合物相变具有分解温度低,易在储层内形成二次水合物等特点,是由渗流场-应力场-温度场-化学场共同作用的复杂系统;多相渗流作用主要受控于未固结储层的物性特征、水合物相变、开采方式等多元因素影响,具有较强的甲烷吸附性、绝对渗透率易突变、气相流动能力弱等特点;围绕南海水合物长期、稳定、高效开采目标,需要在初始储层改造基础上,通过实施储层二次改造,进一步优化提高储层渗流能力,实现增渗扩产目的。【结论】随着天然气水合物产业化进程不断向前推进,还需要着力解决大规模长时间产气过程中温度压力微观变化及物质能源交换响应机制以及水合物高效分解、二次生成边界条件等难题。创新点：南海水合物相变是由渗流场-应力场-温度场-化学场共同作用的复杂系统;南海泥质粉砂储层具有较强的甲烷吸附性、绝对渗透率易突变、气相流动能力弱等特点,多相渗流机理复杂。     

美国天然气水合物研究计划介绍

以美国近年来提出的天然气水合物研究计划和项目申请书为基础,介绍美国科学家在天然气水合物研究领域中所关心的关键科学与技术问题和研究焦点,供我国天然气水合物研究者在项目设计和开展研究工作时参考。美国天然气水合物研究关注的重点科学问题主要集中在 4个方面：天然气水合物的物理与化学特性研究;天然气水合物开采技术研究;天然气水合物灾害-安全性与海底稳定性研究;天然气水合物在全球碳循环中的作用研究。在研究方法上主要采取天然气水合物区的现场地质地球化学观测、实验室合成和测定及计算模拟,特别关注与水合物和油气冷泉相关的生命过程及与水合物的相互作用研究。     

天然气水合物研究现状与展望

自20世纪90年代以来,世界各国对潜力巨大的新型能源———天然气水合物的研究做了大量的投入,已经取得了重大进展。本文在阐述国外天然气水合物的研究现状的同时,重点介绍了我国在天然气水合物勘探开发和实验模拟方面取得的一些进展,并展望其在能源、环境和其它研究领域的发展前景。     

天然气水合物开采数值模拟的参数敏感性分析

天然气水合物是储量巨大的一种新型能源,如何有效地开采是关键问题。基于降压开采的机理,建立了一维数学模型,利用自编的数值模拟软件进行了天然气水合物开采过程中的参数敏感性分析;通过与Yousif研究结果进行对比,验证了本模型的正确性。在此基础上,分析了渗透率、初始天然气水合物饱和度及生产压力对开采效果的影响。研究发现,渗透率越大、初始饱和度越低、生产压力越低,天然气水合物分解越快,分解前缘的移动速度越快。研究结果对天然气水合物的实际开采提供了理论支持。     

国际天然气水合物勘查开发研究新进展——第七届爱丁堡国际天然气水合物大会特邀报告综述

简要介绍了2011年7月在英国爱丁堡召开的第七届国际天然气水合物大会概况。对会议中5个大会特邀主题报告给予介绍或评述。Thomas介绍了亨弗利·戴维对科学发现的追求和应用,后者在实验室发现了气水合物。Ripmeeste总结了实验模拟中对气水合物客体与载体相互作用、水合物形成和分解过程的认识和成果。Suess指出过去25年间人们对海洋天然气水合物的研究经历了从“避免策略到旨在获取”、“能源开发和二氧化碳储存兼顾”、“追求储量到记录环境变化”3个阶段。Kurihara总结了日本多年的研发结果,包括数字模拟研究、对甲烷储层的分类和产气能力的评估、天然气生产方法等,讨论了商业发展甲烷水合物的可行性和挑战。Sloan介绍了管道安全复杂体系的4种概念性端元类型,并指出风险管理策略比防治更为经济,是未来防止水合物堵塞的重要工具。     

天然气水合物勘探开发研究新进展及发展趋势

天然气水合物是继煤、石油和天然气等能源之后的一种潜在新型能源,本文简要介绍了天然气水合物的由来、性质和特征,根据目前国内外研究现状,概述了天然气水合物勘探开发方面的国际研究新进展,以及我国在这方面取得的研究成果,归纳了目前存在的问题并展望了发展的方向和趋势。     

未来接替能源——天然气水合物面临的挑战与前景

天然气水合物作为新型化石燃料展现出巨大的资源潜力,如何科学地估算全球天然气水合物资源量与安全而经济地开采天然气水合物是全世界关注的焦点。文章在系统地分析了全球气水合物研究4个发展阶段认识的基础上,结合笔者对中国南海天然气水合物近20年的研究经历,明确了中国南海天然气水合物赋存的构造背景复杂、沉积过程与类型多样、表征难度大等多种难题。指出了天然气水合物研究面临的6个地质问题与瓶颈:新近系层序地层划分的成因性对比、稳定带厚度与水合物赋存机理、陆缘水动力背景复杂且沉积类型多样、水合物分布与沉积响应间的关系、构造运动对水合物的聚散控制以及水合物成藏模式与判识评价体系;探讨了目前天然气水合物资源量估算过程中存在的优缺点以及试采仍需要攻关的关键理论与技术问题。从地质角度回答了油峰到来的预期与天然气水合物作为接替能源的可能性与前景,指出中国南海的地质特点与天然气水合物的分布规律,明确提出了天然气水合物研究既不可盲目性乐观、也不可强制性悲观的学术观点。     

天然气水合物孔底冷冻取样方法的室内试验研究

本研究提出的天然气水合物孔底冷冻取样方法是利用外部冷源在孔底降低水合物岩心温度,采用主动式降温的方法降低水合物的临界分解压力,达到被动式降压来抑制水合物分解,获得水合物岩心的方法。首先,通过分析天然气水合物温压特性得出了孔底冷冻取样方法的可行性;然后,借助室内冷冻模拟试验确定了干冰为冷冻剂,酒精作为助冷催化剂和载冷剂的冷冻方式;最后,依据冷冻模拟试验得出的干冰法冷冻方式研制了FCS型天然气水合物孔底冷冻取样器样机,并进行了土层钻进冷冻取样试验,取得冷冻黄土岩心。本研究提出天然气水合物孔底冷冻取样思想,为天然气水合物取样器的设计提供了新的思路。     

Application of frequency division inversion in the prediction of heterogeneous natural gas hydrates reservoirs in the Shenhu Area,South China Sea

Drilling results suggest that the thickness of natural gas hydrates (NGHs) in the Shenhu Area, South China Sea (SCS) are spatially heterogenous, making it difficult to accurately assess the NGHs resources in this area. In the case that free gas exists beneath hydrate deposits, the frequency of the hydrate deposits will be noticeably attenuated, with the attenuation degree mainly affected by pore development and free gas content. Therefore, the frequency can be used as an important attribute to identify hydrate reservoirs. Based on the time-frequency characteristics of deposits, this study predicted the spatial distribution of hydrates in this area using the frequency division inversion method as follows. Firstly, the support vector machine (SVM) method was employed to study the amplitude versus frequency (AVF) response based on seismic and well logging data. Afterward, the AVF response was introduced as independent information to establish the nonlinear relationship between logging data and seismic waveform. Then, the full frequency band information of the seismic data was fully utilized to obtain the results of frequency division inversion. The inversion results can effectively broaden the frequency band, reflect the NGHs distribution, and reveal the NGHs reservoirs of two types, namely the fluid migration pathway type and the in situ self-generation self-storage diffusion type. Moreover, the inversion results well coincide with the drilling results. Therefore, it is feasible to use the frequency division inversion to predict the spatial distribution of heterogeneous NGHs reservoirs, which facilitates the optimization of favorable drilling targets and is crucial to the resource potential assessment of NGHs.©2022 China Geology Editorial Office.     

天然气水合物地球化学勘查方法

天然气水合物是一种潜在的新能源,广泛分布在大陆架边缘的深海沉积物和陆域多年冻土区。地球化学勘查技术作为天然气水合物勘探的重要手段之一,愈来愈受到极大的关注。笔者综合国内外研究现状,分别介绍海域和永久冻土带天然气水合物勘查中应用的主要地球化学方法,并详述各种方法的机理和研究进展。     

A 3D basin modeling study of the factors controlling gas hydrate accumulation in the Shenhu Area of the South China Sea

Great advancement has been made on natural gas hydrates exploration and test production in the northern South China Sea. However, there remains a lot of key questions yet to be resolved, particularly about the mechanisms and the controls of gas hydrates enrichment. Numerical simulaution would play signficant role in addressing these questions. This study focused on the gas hydrate exploration in the Shenhu Area, Northern South China Sea. Based on the newly obtained borehole and multichannel reflection seismic data, the authors conducted an integrated 3D basin modeling study on gas hydrate. The results indicate that the Shenhu Area has favorable conditions for gas hydrate accumulation, such as temperature, pressure, hydrocarbon source, and tectonic setting. Gas hydrates are most concentrated in the Late Miocene strata, particularly in the structual highs between the Baiyun Sag and the Liwan Sag, and area to the south of it. It also proved the existence of overpressure in the main sag of source rocks, which was subject to compaction disequilibrium and hydrocarbon generation. It also shown that the regional fault activity is not conducive to gas hydrate accumulation due to excess gas seepage. The authors conjecture that fault activity may slightly weaken overpressure for the positive effect of hydrocarbon expulsion and areas lacking regional fault activity have better potential.©2022 China Geology Editorial Office.     

关于天然气水合物钻探的思考

天然气水合物是一种固态的化合物,烃类气体源。固态的天然气水合物只能稳定存在于较低的温度（０￣１０℃）和较高的压力（１０ＭＰａ以上）,这些均给天然气水合物的钻采带来了一定的难度。简要介绍了天然气水合物的形成、稳定条件,分布情况以及国内外勘查研究新动向,着重阐述了天然气水合物钻探的作用及有关技术问题,提出了我国开展天然气水合物钻探的工作思路。     

晚期泥底辟控制作用导致神狐海域SH5钻位未获水合物的分析

海底泥底辟构造与天然气水合物成藏关系密切,泥底辟既能为水合物提供充分的气源物质,同时又能促使地层温度场改变进而影响水合物成藏稳定性。南海北部神狐海域SH5站位虽然BSR明显,但钻探证实不存在天然气水合物。该钻位温度剖面异常高,温度场上移,同时在其下伏地层中发现泥底辟构造和裂隙通道。根据上述事实并结合泥底辟发育各个阶段中的特点,认为泥底辟构造对天然气水合物成藏具有控制作用。泥底辟发育早期和中期阶段,低热导率和低热量有机气体有利于天然气水合物生成;而在晚期阶段,高热量液体上侵稳定带底界,导致水合物分解迁移。SH5站位很可能由于受到处于晚期阶段的泥底辟上侵而未能获取天然气水合物。     

A distinct element simulation including surface tension – towards the modeling of gas hydrate behavior

Gas hydrate bearing sediments are an integral part of the world’s continental margins. Several tsunamigenetic continental slope failure events have been triggered by gas hydrates, but their mechanical behavior is poorly understood. In this work, we propose a method to simulate a surface tensed medium such as gas hydrate in soil, using distinct element method (DEM). For implementation in sediment pore size, we scaled up attractive particle interactions governing surface tension on molecular level. Several virtual experiments are used to benchmark the proposed method. A simulation of gas hydrate growth in sediment with differing grain sizes demonstrates the potential of the new approach.     

A fast identification method based on the typical geophysical differences between submarine shallow carbonates and hydrate bearing sediments in the northern South China Sea

Bottom simulating reflector (BSR) has been recognized as one of the indicators of gas hydrates. However, BSR and hydrate are not one-to-one correspondence. In the Xisha area of South China Sea (SCS), carbonate rocks wildly develop, which continuously distribute parallel to the seafloor with high amplitude on seismic sections, exhibiting reflections similar to BSRs in the Shenhu area nearby. This phenomenon causes some interference to hydrates identification. In this paper, the authors discussed the typical geophysical differences between carbonate rocks and hydrates, indicating that the main difference exists in relationship between porosity and velocity, causing different amplitude versus offset (AVO) characters. Then the authors proposed a new model assuming that the carbonates form the matrix and the hydrate fill the pore as a part of the matrix. The key modeling parameters have been optimized constrained by P-velocities and S-velocities simultaneously, and the model works well both for carbonate rock and gas hydrate bearing sediments. For quantitative identification, the authors calculated the velocities when carbonates and hydrates form the matrix together in different proportions. Then they proposed a carbonate and hydrate identification template (CHIT), in which the possible hydrate saturation (PHS) and possible carbonate content (PCC) can be both scaled out for a group of sample composed by P-velocity and S-velocity. If PHS is far larger than PCC, it is more likely to be a hydrate sample because carbonates and hydrates do not coexist normally. The real data application shows that the template can effectively distinguish between hydrates and carbonate rocks, consequently reducing the risk of hydrate exploration.     

青海木里三露天水合物微生物地球化学勘查研究

以青海省天峻县木里地区天然气水合物发现区为研究对象,以天然气水合物发现井作为正演模型,采用250 m×500 m、100 m×100 m两种调查尺度,对陆地冻土区天然气水合物微生物地球化学烃检测技术的适用性进行了研究。结果显示：研究区有显著的微生物异常,指示下伏地层存在烃类富集;稀网格微生物调查查明烃类富集的有利区 ,而密网格调查很好地识别了天然气水合物分布的非均质性,与水合物钻探井所揭示的横向上天然气水合物分布不连续的特征一致。土壤吸附气的地球化学检测和分析,揭示研究区天然气水 合物的气源十分复杂,主要为热成因的煤层气和油型气。研究结果为探索天然气水合物富集规律和勘探方向提供依据和参考。微生物地球化学勘查结果精细地刻画了冻土区天然气水合物分布 规律及气源特征,结合地质学、地球物理、地球化学进行综合分析,为陆地天然气水合物的识别提供新的研究方法,同时降低天然气水合物的勘探风险,提高勘探的成功率。     

Progress in Global Gas Hydrate Development and Production as a New Energy Resource

Natural gas hydrates have been hailed as a new and promising unconventional alternative energy, especially as fossil fuels approach depletion, energy consumption soars, and fossil fuel prices rise, owing to their extensive distribution, abundance, and high fuel efficiency. Gas hydrate reservoirs are similar to a storage cupboard in the global carbon cycle, containing most of the world’s methane and accounting for a third of Earth’s mobile organic carbon. We investigated gas hydrate stability zone burial depths from the viewpoint of conditions associated with stable existence of gas hydrates, such as temperature, pressure, and heat flow, based on related data collected by the global drilling programs. Hydrate-related areas are estimated using various biological, geochemical and geophysical tools. Based on a series of previous investigations, we cover the history and status of gas hydrate exploration in the USA, Japan, South Korea, India, Germany, the polar areas, and China. Then, we review the current techniques for hydrate exploration in a global scale. Additionally, we briefly review existing techniques for recovering methane from gas hydrates, including thermal stimulation, depressurization, chemical injection, and CH4–CO2 exchange, as well as corresponding global field trials in Russia, Japan, United States, Canada and China. In particular, unlike diagenetic gas hydrates in coarse sandy sediments in Japan and gravel sediments in the United States and Canada, most gas hydrates in the northern South China Sea are non-diagenetic and exist in fine-grained sediments with a vein-like morphology. Therefore, especially in terms of the offshore production test in gas hydrate reservoirs in the Shenhu area in the north slope of the South China Sea, Chinese scientists have proposed two unprecedented techniques that have been verified during the field trials: solid fluidization and formation fluid extraction. Herein, we introduce the two production techniques, as well as the so-called “four-in-one” environmental monitoring system employed during the Shenhu production test. Methane is not currently commercially produced from gas hydrates anywhere in the world; therefore, the objective of field trials is to prove whether existing techniques could be applied as feasible and economic production methods for gas hydrates in deep-water sediments and permafrost zones. Before achieving commercial methane recovery from gas hydrates, it should be necessary to measure the geologic properties of gas hydrate reservoirs to optimize and improve existing production techniques. Herein, we propose horizontal wells, multilateral wells, and cluster wells improved by the vertical and individual wells applied during existing field trials. It is noteworthy that relatively pure gas hydrates occur in seafloor mounds, within near-surface sediments, and in gas migration conduits. Their extensive distribution, high saturation, and easy access mean that these types of gas hydrate may attract considerable attention from academia and industry in the future. Herein, we also review the occurrence and development of concentrated shallow hydrate accumulations and briefly introduce exploration and production techniques. In the closing section, we discuss future research needs, key issues, and major challenges related to gas hydrate exploration and production. We believe this review article provides insight on past, present, and future gas hydrate exploration and production to provide guidelines and stimulate new work into the field of gas hydrates.     

世界天然气水合物研究开发现状和前景

回顾了世界天然气水合物研究历史,分析了世界气水合物研究现状和开发前景,评价了全球天然气水合物资源潜势,提出了我国对天然气水合物的研究策略。