Methane Hydrate Formation and Dissocation in a Partially Saturated Sand--Measurements and Observations

Conference · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 2005

OSTI ID:842697

Kneafsey, Timothy J ^[1]; Tomutsa, Liviu; Moridis, George J; Seol, Yongkoo; Freifeld, Barry; Taylor, Charles E; Gupta, Arvind

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1. LBNL Library

We performed a sequence of tests on a partially water-saturated sand sample contained in an x-ray transparent aluminum pressure vessel that is conducive to x-ray computed tomography (CT) observation. These tests were performed to gather data for estimation of thermal properties of the sand/water/gas system and the sand/hydrate/water/gas systems, as well as data to evaluate the kinetic nature of hydrate dissociation. The tests included mild thermal perturbations for the estimation of the thermal properties of the sand/water/gas system, hydrate formation, thermal perturbations with hydrate in the stability zone, hydrate dissociation through thermal stimulation, additional hydrate formation, and hydrate dissociation through depressurization with thermal stimulation. Density changes throughout the sample were observed as a result of hydrate formation and dissociation, and these processes induced capillary pressure changes that altered local water saturation.

• Research Organization: Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE. Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy. Office of Natural Gas and Petroleum Technology. National Energy Technology Laboratory
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 842697
• Report Number(s): LBNL--57300
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
ALUMINIUM
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
DEPRESSURIZATION
DISSOCIATION
GAS HYDRATES
HYDRATES
Hydrate formation dissociation porous medium thermal stimulation depressurization x-ray computed tomography capillary pressure
KINETICS
PRESSURE VESSELS
SAND
STABILITY
STIMULATION
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
WATER SATURATION