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.     

基于BSR的AVO正演估算水合物含量方法的研究

水合物地震属性研究的一个基本目标是水合物/游离气含量的估算. 这项工作的难度体现在地震反演具有多解性. 这项工作涉及到地震数据的精细处理、速度分析和BSR界面AVO分析等多个具体环节. 本文继承前人的有关成果,尝试进行了水合物/游离气含量估算方法的研究. 以区域地质、地震和化探等多元方法信息为基础,以定性推断BSR以及BSR界面AVO性质为导向,通过AVO正演模型方法,半定量（或定量）地估算BSR界面上与下地层中水合物/游离气（或水合物/水合物）的含量. 运用这种方法,结合海上有利于天然气水合物的E研究区某测线地震资料,尝试估算了BSR界面之上和之下介质中水合物/游离气的含量.     

北黄海海底麻坑群形态的定量研究及控制因素

本文基于高分辨率多波束水深数据和反向散射强度数据,对北黄海海底麻坑群的形态参数进行定量研究,结合水深、地形坡度和后向散射强度的变化准确界定了麻坑的轮廓,识别出圆形、椭圆形、拉长型麻坑共282个,并在ArcGIS软件中对其形态参数进行了分析计算,麻坑的平均长轴1.36 km,短轴0.78 km,直径0.94 km,面积0.88 km2,平均周长3.82 km,长宽比1.83,深度0.3~2.5 m,平均面积密集度13%,麻坑的剖面形态有麻坑边缘凹陷、中部有明显凸起（W1型）,麻坑边缘凹陷、中部略凸起（W2型）,麻坑中部单纯凹陷（V型）,分别集中分布在麻坑群的北部、南部、西部。麻坑的平面规模大、深度小的原因与地层中形成麻坑的游离气体浓度较小有关,也可能受到了地震、海啸等外力的诱发。麻坑的长轴优势走向为ENE-WSW、NNE-SSW,底流对其形状的塑造起了较大作用,部分麻坑成串排列,形成串珠状的麻坑链,其排列方式受到海底古河道、古潟湖等沉积地层结构的控制。海底麻坑群发育区反向散射强度为-60~-71 dB,麻坑内部较麻坑外部平均高5 dB,可能为麻坑内部气体泄漏引起海底沉积物被剥蚀后残留下的粗颗粒物质或海底生物活动留下的遗迹导致的。     

Change of Gas Hydrate Reservoir and Its Effect on the Environment in Xisha Trough since the Last Glacial Maximum

In this article, Milkov and Sassen’s model is selected to calculate the thickness of the gas hydrate stable zone (GHSZ) and the amount of gas hydrate in the Xisha (西沙) Trough at present and at the last glacial maximum (LGM), respectively, and the effects of the changes in the bottom water temperature and the sea level on these were also discussed. The average thickness of the GHSZ in Xisha Trough is estimated to be 287 m and 299 m based on the relationship between the GHSZ thickness and the water depth established in this study at present and at LGM, respectively. Then, by assuming that the distributed area of gas hydrates is 8 000 km2 and that the gas hydrate saturation is 1.2% of the sediment volume, the amounts of gas hydrate are estimated to be ~2.76×1010 m3 and ~2.87×1010 m3, and the volumes of hydrate-bound gases are ~4.52×1012 m3 and ~4.71×1012 m3 at present and at LGM, re- spectively. The above results show that the thickness of GHSZ decreases with the bottom water tem- perature increase and increases with the sea level increase, wherein the effect of the former is larger than that of the latter, that the average thickness of GHSZ in Xisha Trough had been reduced by ~12 m, and that 1.9×1011 m3 of methane is released from approximately 1.1×109 m3 of gas hydrate since LGM. The released methane should have greatly affected the environment.     

Distribution and temporal variation of mega‐fauna at the Regab pockmark (Northern Congo Fan), based on a comparison of videomosaics and geographic information systems analyses

The Regab pockmark is a large cold seep area located 10 km north of the Congo deep sea channel at about 3160 m water depth. The associated ecosystem hosts abundant fauna, dominated by chemosynthetic species such as the mussel Bathymodiolus aff. boomerang, vestimentiferan tubeworm Escarpia southwardae, and vesicomyid clams Laubiericoncha chuni and Christineconcha regab. The pockmark was visited during the West African Cold Seeps (WACS) cruise with RV Pourquoi Pas? in February 2011, and a 14,000‐m² high‐resolution videomosaic was constructed to map the most populated area and to describe the distribution of the dominant megafauna (mussels, tubeworms and clams). The results are compared with previous published works, which also included a videomosaic in the same area of the pockmark, based on images of the BIOZAIRE cruise in 2001. The 10‐year variation of the faunal distribution is described and reveals that the visible abundance and distribution of the dominant megafaunal populations at Regab have not changed significantly, suggesting that the overall methane and sulfide fluxes that reach the faunal communities have been stable. Nevertheless, small and localized distribution changes in the clam community indicate that it is exposed to more transient fluxes than the other communities. Observations suggest that the main megafaunal aggregations at Regab are distributed around focused zones of high flux of methane‐enriched fluids likely related to distinct smaller pockmark structures that compose the larger Regab pockmark. Although most results are consistent with the existing successional models for seep communities, some observations in the distribution of the Regab mussel population do not entirely fit into these models. This is likely due to the high heterogeneity of this site formed by the coalescence of several pockmarks. We hypothesize that the mussel distribution at Regab could also be controlled by the occurrence of zones of both intense methane fluxes and reduced efficiency of the anaerobic oxidation of methane possibly limiting tubeworm colonization.     

Experimental research on the mechanical properties of methane hydrate-bearing sediments during hydrate dissociation

This paper describes studies of the effect of hydrate dissociation on the safety and stability of methane hydrate-bearing sediments. Methane hydrates within the sediments were dissociating under the conditions of a confining pressure of 0.5 MPa, 1 MPa, 2 MPa and a temperature of −5 °C. After 6 h, 24 h, or 48 h, a series of triaxial compression tests on methane hydrate-bearing sediments were performed. The tests of ice-clay and sediments without hydrate dissociation were performed for comparison. Focusing on the mechanical properties of the sediments, the experimental results indicated that the shear strength of the ice-clay mixtures was lower than that of the methane hydrate-bearing sediments. The strength of the sediments was reduced by hydrate dissociation, and the strength tended to decrease further at the lower confining pressures. The secant modulus E_S of the sediments dropped by 42.6% in the case of the dissociation time of the hydrate of 48 h at the confining pressure of 1 MPa; however, the decline of the initial yield modulus E₀ was only 9.34%. The slower hydrate dissociation rate contributed to reducing the failure strength at a declining pace. Based on the Mohr–Coulomb strength theory, it was concluded that the decrease in strength was mainly affected by the cohesive reduction. Moreover, the mathematical expression of the M–C criterion related to the hydrate dissociation time was proposed. This research could be valuable for the safety and stability of hydrate deposits in a permafrost region.     

A sand-production control system for gas production from clayey silt hydrate reservoirs

Sand production is a crucial problem during the process of extracting natural gas from hydrate reservoirs. To deal with sand-production problems systematically, a sand-production control system (SCS) is first proposed in this paper, specialized for pore-distributed clayey silt hydrate reservoirs. Secondly, a nodal system analysis method (NSAM) is applied to analyze the sand migration process during hydrate exploitation. The SCS is divided into three sub-systems, according to different sand migration mechanisms, and three key scientific problems and advances in SCS research in China Geological Survey are reviewed and analyzed. The maximum formation sanding rate, proper sand-control gravel size, and borehole blockage risk position were provided for clayey hydrate exploitation wells based on the SCS analysis. The SCS sub-systems are closely connected via bilateral coupling, and coordination of the subsystems is the basis of maintaining formation stability and prolonging the gas production cycle. Therefore, contradictory mitigation measures between sand production and operational systems should be considered preferentially. Some novel and efficient hydrate exploitation methods are needed to completely solve the contradictions caused by sand production.© 2019 China Geology Editorial Office.     

Research Progress of Seafloor Pockmarks in Spatio-Temporal Distribution and Classification

Seafloor pockmarks are important indicators of submarine methane seepages and slope instabilities.In order to promote the understanding of submarine pockmarks and their relationship with sediment instabilities and climate changes,here we summarize the research results of pockmarks in the spatio-temporal distributions and shaping factors.Most of pockmarks occur along active or passive continental margins during the last 25 kyr B.P..Circular and ellipse are the most common forms of pockmarks,whereas pockmarks in a special crescent or elongated shape are indicators of slope instabilities,and ring-shape pockmarks are endemic to the gas hydrate zones.Further researches should be focused on the trigger mechanism of climate changes based on the pockmarks in the high latitudes formed during the deglaciation periods,and the role of gas hydrates in the seafloor evolution should be elucidated.In addition,the feature of pockmarks at their early stage(e.g.,developing gas chimneys and gas driving sedimentary doming)and the relations between pockmarks and mass movements,mud diapirs could be further studied to clarify the influences of rapid methane release from submarine sediments on the atmospheric carbon contents.     

Sedimentary characteristics and genetic mechanism of the giant ancient pockmarks in the Qiongdongnan Basin,northern South China Sea

In the late Miocene, giant ancient pockmarks, which are fairly rare globally, developed in the Qiongdongnan Basin. In this paper, to determine the sedimentary characteristics and genetic mechanism of these giant ancient pockmarks in the Yinggehai Formation of the Qiongdongnan Basin, based on high-resolution 3D seismic data and multiattribute fusion technologies, we analyzed the planar distribution and seismic facies of the ancient pockmarks and compared the characteristics of the ancient pockmar...     

Evaluation of clayed silt properties on the behavior of hydrate production in South China Sea

Gas hydrate is one kind of potential energy resources that is buried under deep seafloor or frozen areas. The first trial offshore production from the silty reservoir was conducted in the South China Sea by the China Geological Survey (CGS). During this test, there were many unique characteristics different from the sand reservoir, which was believed to be related to the clayed silt physical properties. In this paper, simulation experiments, facilities analysis, and theoretical calculation were used to confirm the hydrate structure, reservoir thermo-physical property, and bond water movement rule. And the behavior of how they affected production efficiency was analyzed. The results showed that: It was reasonable to use the structure I rather than structure II methane hydrate phase equilibrium data to make the production plan; the dissociation heat absorbed by hydrate was large enough to cause hydrate self-protection or reformation depend on the reservoir thermal transfer and gas supply; clayed silt got better thermal conductivity compared to coarse grain, but poor thermal convection especially with hydrate; clayed silt sediment was easy to bond water, but the irreducible water can be exchanged to free water under high production pressure, and the most obvious pressure range of water increment was 1.9–4.9 MPa.