海洋天然气水合物储层蠕变行为的主控因素与研究展望

蠕变是指沉积物在特定应力状态下变形与时间的关系,属于沉积物的固有力学属性。厘清海洋天然气水合物开采过程中储层蠕变的主控因素及其控制机理,对量化评价潜在工程地质风险的发生和演变规律具有重要意义。本文将在综述海洋天然气水合物储层破坏特征的基础上,梳理海洋天然气水合物储层蠕变特征及主控因素,厘清关键科学问题;结合最新研究成果,阐述天然气水合物储层蠕变特征多尺度表征与探测技术体系的基本内涵,简要探讨该领域的未来研究方向。初步分析认为,海洋天然气水合物开采过程中储层蠕变行为是水合物本身及其分解产出过程中的应力、温度、渗流等动态因素综合作用的结果,现有蠕变本构模型无法完全反映上述相变-传热-渗流-应力多场多相多组分耦合过程。为建立适合南海北部水合物储层的蠕变本构,进而为后续开采工程安全设计提供理论支撑,建议从天然气水合物储层的力学性能弱化特征及蠕变各阶段的时效参数两方面入手,从分子尺度、纳微尺度、岩心尺度、中试尺度、矿藏尺度5个层面,建立天然气水合物储层蠕变行为的跨尺度研究方法体系;以南海实际储层样品为研究对象,剖析天然气水合物开采过程中储层蠕变行为的主控因素。     

海洋天然气水合物分解过程中其上部地层稳定性分析

在有覆盖层的海洋天然气水合物开采过程中,由于水合物分解引起上部地层应力重新分布可能导致上部地层蠕变、坍塌、滑坡、套管变形及井口安全等事故.以海洋天然气水合物沉积层具有覆盖地层为例,利用静力学理论建立了采用控压法开采海洋天然气水合物时上部地层物性参数、井筒压力及天然气水合物分解后地层剩余支撑力之间的力学稳定性模型.从理论上讲:当K＞1时,上部地层稳定;当K＜1时,上部地层失稳.该力学模型可对海洋天然气水合物开采井设计及安全开采具有一定的借鉴意义.     

海洋天然气水合物开采方法及产量分析

海洋天然气水合物的巨大储量刺激了世界各国能源部门努力研究如何从天然气水合物储层生产天然气。根据水合物形成的条件,只有当水合物处在其相平衡条件以外,水合物才能分解。因此,水合物的开采方法只能为热熔法、抑制剂刺激法、减压法和地面分解法。为了对天然气水合物储层中气体的生产有个定量的评估,本文以水合物开采井为例,运用数学方法推导了水合物井中气体的产生量。结果表明,在天然气水合物储层中,天然气释放量是井内水合物分解温度、压力及水合物层气体渗透性的敏感函数。该函数可以用于天然气水合物井气体开采量的计算及对水合物储层可开采性评价。     

压缩加载条件下含水合物沉积物蠕变特性分析

水合物开采可能诱发海底滑坡或其他工程地质灾害。实现水合物商业化开采需要中长期稳定产气，长期荷载下储层的蠕变特性是地层稳定性评价的基础力学参数。利用南海水合物储层粉黏土为试验介质在压缩加载条件下的系列固结排水蠕变测量试验结果，对粉黏土的蠕变特性进行了分析。结果表明，加载过程中，含水合物沉积物经历瞬时变形、固结变形和蠕变变形3个阶段；随着加载应力和水合物饱和度的提高，蠕变应变不断增加；修正的Singh-Mitchell蠕变模型可以较好预测不同应力水平和水合物饱和度下粉黏土的蠕变特性。     

非成岩水合物储层降压开采过程中出砂和沉降实验研究

天然气水合物多赋存在非成岩地层中,在开采过程中易出现出砂和沉降情况,制约了天然气水合物的安全高效长期开采。为研究水合物开采过程中的温压、产气、产水、出砂和沉降情况,在自主研发水合物出砂及防砂模拟装置上进行了不同条件下的开采模拟实验。研究表明,在前两个生产阶段,产水含砂率和出砂粒径随着水合物开采而逐渐增大;水合物细砂储层产气速率增加会增大携液能力,导致携砂能力增强而增大出砂风险,同时高产气速率促进井筒温度降低导致冰相生成,存在冰堵的风险;开采过程中的储层沉降与储层水合物含量相关性较大,而产气速率和降压速率对储层沉降的影响与产气模式有关。水合物开采中后期进行增产作业会增加储层出砂风险和沉降速率,进一步探讨了该实验对日本2013年第一次海域水合物试采出砂情况的推测,提出水合物开采分阶段分级防砂的概念。     

储层和开采参数对天然气水合物开采产能的影响分析

开展储层参数和开采参数对天然气水合物开采产能影响的研究有助于其实际开采场址和开采方法的选择。以中国南海神狐海域SH7站位的地质参数为背景，采用TOUGH+HYDRATE软件系统地分析了储层压力、温度、孔隙度、水合物饱和度、渗透率、上覆层和下伏层渗透率等储层参数，以及降压幅度、降压井长度和出砂堵塞（通过改变井周网格渗透率反映出砂堵塞）等开采参数对天然气水合物降压开采产能的影响。数值模拟结果表明：(1)随着储层渗透率的增大，产气量有明显的增加；随着储层压力、孔隙度的增大以及上覆层和下伏层渗透率的减小，产气量有较大的增加；随着储层温度的增大，产气量有一定的增加；产气量随饱和度的增大先增大后减小。因此，实际开采时可优先选择渗透率大、上覆层和下伏层渗透率小、孔隙度大、温度较高、水合物饱和度适中的储层。(2)随着降压幅度的增大以及降压井长度增大，产气量有明显的增加；而随着出砂堵塞程度的加剧，产气量有非常明显的减少。因此，实际开采时可以通过增大降压幅度和降压井长度以及采取减轻出砂堵塞的措施来提高产气量。研究结果可以为我国将来天然气水合物开采区域及开采方式的选择和确定提供参考。     

垂直多井动态开采水合物边坡稳定性分析

天然气水合物是一种赋存在海底沉积物孔隙中的清洁能源，含量巨大，具有很好的开发前景和研究价值。垂直井作为开采水合物的一种主要方式，在开采过程中，会改变天然气水合物沉积层的环境条件，随着开采井释放出大量的气体和水，在地层中形成超压，过高的孔隙压力会降低沉积物的胶结强度，破坏沉积层的稳定性，诱发海底滑坡。借助Flac3D软件建立高精度的海底斜坡模型，基于有限差分法对垂直多井动态开采水合物过程中的边坡稳定性进行了数值模拟，模拟了不同开采方案条件下采用多井开采，水合物分解量、开采井压变化等不同影响因素产生的地层力学响应和位移变化，基于安全系数法进对于水合物开采引起的边坡稳定性进行了初步分析。结果表明：多井开采条件下，随着水合物分解程度的不断增大，海底斜坡稳定性逐渐降低，当水合物分解程度达到80%时，安全系数会降低到1.0以下，边坡会失稳；随着井压的不断降低，海底斜坡稳定性同样逐渐降低，当开采井压降低到4 Mpa以下时，安全系数会降低到1.05以下，边坡变为欠稳定状态，存在发生海底滑坡的风险。     

天然气水合物开采区内海床不均匀沉降对管道力学性能的影响

海底管道是天然气水合物大规模开采和集输的关键装备。天然气水合物的开采过程会扰动沉积层的结构,改变沉积层的强度和力学特性,诱发海床发生不均匀沉降,并对水合物开采区内海底管道的力学特性产生影响,如引起管道发生大变形、悬跨、屈曲、断裂等。基于ABAQUS有限元软件,建立天然气水合物开采区内“海床-管道”耦合作用模型,模拟了天然气水合物开采过程中海床沉降变形及其对管道应力、应变、弯矩、悬跨等力学行为的影响。研究结果表明,在天然气水合物开采过程中,海床的不均匀沉降将引起管道发生显著位移并发生弯曲,管道的应力、应变随着变形的增大而增大。当海床沉降量达到某一程度时,管道将脱离海床,产生悬跨,并引发涡激振动风险。     

神狐海域天然气水合物层分解井中电学监测效果模拟与分析

为实现天然气水合物开采过程中水合物层分解状态实时监测,基于静电场理论和监测井布设特点设计了一套电极阵列式井中电学监系统。以南海神狐海域天然气水合物远景开采区为研究区,总结归纳水合物开采过程储层分解和电阻率变化特点,构建不同开采阶段储层地质及电阻率模型,模拟利用设计系统对水合物层进行探测,正演计算得到不同装置形式探测电阻率剖面图像,随后对图像进行对比分析,界定该系统对水合物层分解状态的探测能力。研究结果表明,利用偶极装置探测的电阻率和相对电阻率剖面可准确确定不同饱和度水合物层界面位置,水合物分解区范围,分解区边界定位误差可小于0.5m。井中阵列式电学监测系统能够有效进行水合物层分解状态监测,具有良好的应用前景。     

海底天然气水合物稳定带的特征分析

水合物稳定带（HSZ）控制着海底天然气水合物的成矿作用和分布规律，其厚度及分布范围决定了天然气水合物的蕴藏量，所以水合物稳定带的分析对天然气水合物的成矿与分布规律、成因与演化机制以及资源研究具有重要的指导意义。水合物稳定带本身受海底温度、压力和甲烷量等因素的影响，其变化会影响水合物稳定带的范围、稳定带底界的位置，并制约着天然气水合物的稳定性和甲烷气的释放。     

天然气水合物稳定带内流体压裂计算的程序耦合方法

海洋天然气水合物稳定带气烟囱结构中存在被水合物充填的裂隙, 表明在自然条件下沉积物中曾发生过流体压裂以及相关的流体流动和水合物形成。在水合物稳定带内实施人为的流体压裂工程, 并联合其他方法(如降压或注热)进行水合物开采, 有望提高开采效率。水合物稳定带内, 无论是自然条件下发生的流体压裂过程, 还是人为实施的流体压裂工程, 都存在水合物反应和沉积物裂隙变形之间的耦合响应。当前, 已有不少数值程序对水合物反应与沉积物弹塑性变形的耦合过程进行了定量研究, 但尚没有数值程序能够计算水合物反应和离散裂隙变形之间的耦合过程。文章将TOUGH+Hydrate程序、IC-FERST和Solidity两者的耦合程序进行了进一步耦合, 为水合物稳定带内的流体压裂计算提供了一种耦合计算方法, 同时通过一个算例初步验证了该耦合计算方法的可行性。验证结果表明, 该耦合计算方法经进一步改进后有望应用于定量研究水合物稳定带内的裂隙变形和水合物反应过程。     

Investigation of the hydrate reservoir production under different depressurization modes

Abstract

Large reserves of natural gas hydrates exist, and the depressurization method has the greatest potential for gas hydrate reservoir recovery. Currently, the most commonly adopted depressurization simulation method is a constant bottom-hole pressure production scheme. This study proposes a new depressurization mode with decreasing bottom-hole pressure. The production characteristic was numerically investigated using this method. The results show the following: (1) As the depressurization exponent (n) decreases, the development effect improves, and production indexes including cumulative gas production/dissociation and gas-water ratio increase. However, the reservoir energy consumption is higher and the hydrate reformation is more severe. (2) Compared to the proposed depressurization mode, the hydrate production index of the constant bottom-hole pressure production (n?=?0) is better. However, the hydrate reservoir energy consumption is higher and the hydrate reformation is more severe using constant bottom-hole pressure production. (3) To achieve a balance between production and reservoir energy consumption during depressurization production, the bottom-hole pressure should be controlled by selecting a suitable depressurization exponent between n_min and n_max, which can be determined through numerical simulations.     

Production potential and stability of hydrate-bearing sediments at the site GMGS3-W19 in the South China Sea: A preliminary feasibility study

According to the preliminary geological data of gas hydrate bearing-sediments (GHBS) at site GMGS3-W19 in the third Chinese expedition to drill gas hydrates in 2015, a production model using three different recovery pressures was established to assess the production feasibility from both production potential and geomechanical response. The simulation results show that for this special Class 1 deposit, it is a little hard for gas production rate to reach the commercial extraction rate because the degree of hydrate dissociation is limited due to the low reservoir permeability and the permeable burdens. However, the free gas accumulating in the lower part of the GHBS can significantly increase gas-to-water ratio. It also generates many secondary hydrates in the GHBS at the same time. Decreasing the well pressure can be beneficial to gas recovery, but the recovery increase is not obvious. In term of geomechanical response of the reservoir during the gas recovery, the permeable burdens are conducive to reduction of the sediment deformation, though they don't facilitate the gas recovery rate. In addition, significant stress concentration is observed in the upper and lower edges of GHBS around the borehole during depressurization because of high pressure gradient, and the greater the well pressure drop, the more obvious the phenomenon. Yield failures and sand production easily take place in the edges. Therefore, in order to achieve the purpose of safe, efficient and long-term gas production, a balance between the production pressure and reservoir stability should be reached at the hydrate site. The production pressure difference and sand production must be carefully controlled and the high stress concentration zones need strengthening or sand control treatment during gas production. Besides, the sensitivity analyses show that the hydrate saturation heterogeneity can affect the production potential and geomechanical response to some extent, especially the water extraction rate and the effective stress distribution and evolution. Increasing GHBS and its underlying free gas formation permeabilities can enhance the gas production potential, but it probably introduces geomechanical risks to gas recovery operations.     

Numerical studies of methane production from Class 1 gas hydrate accumulations enhanced with carbon dioxide injection

Class 1 gas hydrate accumulations are characterized by a permeable hydrate-bearing interval overlying a permeable interval with mobile gas, sandwiched between two impermeable intervals. Depressurization-induced dissociation is currently the favored technology for producing gas from Class 1 gas hydrate accumulations. The depressurization production technology requires heat transfer from the surrounding environment to sustain dissociation as the temperature drops toward the hydrate equilibrium point and leaves the reservoir void of gas hydrate. Production of gas hydrate accumulations by exchanging carbon dioxide with methane in the clathrate structure has been demonstrated in laboratory experiments and proposed as a field-scale technology. The carbon dioxide exchange technology has the potential for yielding higher production rates and mechanically stabilizing the reservoir by maintaining hydrate saturations. We used numerical simulation to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of using carbon dioxide injection to enhance the production of methane from Class 1 gas hydrate accumulations. Numerical simulations in this study were primarily concerned with the mechanisms and approaches of carbon dioxide injection to investigate whether methane production could be enhanced through this approach. To avoid excessive simulation execution times, a five-spot well pattern with a 500-m well spacing was approximated using a two-dimensional domain having well boundaries on the vertical sides and impermeable boundaries on the horizontal sides. Impermeable over- and under burden were included to account for heat transfer into the production interval. Simulation results indicate that low injection pressures can be used to reduce secondary hydrate formation and that direct contact of injected carbon dioxide with the methane hydrate present in the formation is limited due to bypass through the higher permeability gas zone.     

Analysis of formation pressure test results in the Mount Elbert methane hydrate reservoir through numerical simulation

Targeting the methane hydrate (MH) bearing units C and D at the Mount Elbert prospect on the Alaska North Slope, four MDT (Modular Dynamic Formation Tester) tests were conducted in February 2007. The C2 MDT test was selected for history matching simulation in the MH Simulator Code Comparison Study. Through history matching simulation, the physical and chemical properties of the unit C were adjusted, which suggested the most likely reservoir properties of this unit. Based on these properties thus tuned, the numerical models replicating “Mount Elbert C2 zone like reservoir”, “PBU L-Pad like reservoir” and “PBU L-Pad down dip like reservoir” were constructed. The long term production performances of wells in these reservoirs were then forecasted assuming the MH dissociation and production by the methods of depressurization, combination of depressurization and wellbore heating, and hot water huff and puff. The predicted cumulative gas production ranges from 2.16 × 10⁶ m³/well to 8.22 × 10⁸ m³/well depending mainly on the initial temperature of the reservoir and on the production method.This paper describes the details of modeling and history matching simulation. This paper also presents the results of the examinations on the effects of reservoir properties on MH dissociation and production performances under the application of the depressurization and thermal methods.     

2-D Numerical Simulation of Natural Gas Hydrate Decomposition Through Depressurization by Fully Implicit Method

Natural gas hydrate, as a potential energy resource, deposits in permafrost and marine sediment with large quantities. The current exploitation methods include depressurization, thermal stimulation, and inhibitor injection. However, many issues have to be resolved before the commercial production. In the present study, a 2-D axisymmetric simulator for gas production from hydrate reservoirs is developed. The simulator includes equations of conductive and convective heat transfer, kinetic of hydrate decomposition, and multiphase flow. These equations are discretized based on the finite difference method and are solved with the fully implicit simultaneous solution method. The process of laboratory-scale hydrate decomposition by depressurization is simulated. For different surrounding temperatures and outlet pressures, time evolutions of gas and water generations during hydrate dissociation are evaluated, and variations of temperature, pressure, and multiphase fluid flow conditions are analyzed. The results suggest that the rate of heat transfer plays an important role in the process. Furthermore, high surrounding temperature and low outlet valve pressure may increase the rate of hydrate dissociation with insignificant impact on final cumulative gas volume.     

Submarine slope stability analysis during natural gas hydrate dissociation: Discussion

Abstract

Volume change during natural gas hydrate dissociation is important for calculation of excess pore pressure and corresponding submarine slope stability. A short discussion is presented here to the paper of Wang et al. including some notes about the standard condition and parameters used in their model. This discussion calls attention to the wrong use of standard temperature and pressure during calculation of volume change, excess pore pressure, and submarine slope stability.     

热水驱替开采Ⅱ类水合物藏规律研究

天然气水合物广泛分布于陆地冻土带和深海地层,资源潜力巨大,其中Ⅱ类水合物藏占有重要地位。为加强对Ⅱ类水合物藏开采规律的认识,结合实际水合物藏参数,使用数值模拟方法研究了热水驱替开采Ⅱ类水合物藏的动态规律,并与降压法的开采效果进行了对比分析。结果表明:①热水驱替开采Ⅱ类水合物藏时,产气速率和分解气速率首先快速上升,然后以较快速度下降至趋于相对稳定;累产气和累分解气上升较快;气体采出程度和水合物分解程度均处于较高水平(>60%)。②热水驱替对Ⅱ类水合藏的开采具有一定的适应性,与降压法开采相比,热水驱替方式下储层水合物的分解更彻底,气体采出程度、水合物分解程度也更优,但具有较低的累积气水比,产水量较大。