Effect of Gas Flow Rate on Hydrate Formation Within the Hydrate Stability Zone
Abstract
Abstract We form methane hydrate in brine‐saturated, coarse‐grained samples, under hydrate‐stable conditions, by injecting methane vapor at various flow rates. Decreasing the flow rate results in higher hydrate saturation, lower brine saturation, a smaller affected volume, and larger average pressure differentials across the sample. We interpret that the longer execution times at lower flow rates allow for additional methane transport and hydrate formation at the hydrate‐brine interface. As a result, the hydrate skin is thicker at lower flow rates and thus is capable of sustaining larger pressure differentials. In several experiments, we stop brine flow and supply methane gas to the sample for an additional 800 hrs. During this period, hydrate continues to form, pressure differentials develop, and the bulk density changes within the affected volume. We interpret that there is gas present in the sample that is disconnected from the gas source. Hydrate forms around the disconnected gas due to methane transport through the skin that surrounds it, causing the internal gas pressure to decline and leading to inward collapse and net volume decrease. This lowers the brine pressure and creates a differential pressure across the sample that induces gas flow. This study indicates that lower gas flow rates throughmore »
- Authors:
-
- Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1539756
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1466843
- Grant/Contract Number:
- FE0010406; FE0023919; FE0028967; DE‐FE0010406; DE‐FE0028967; DE‐FE0023919
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 123; Journal Issue: 8; Journal ID: ISSN 2169-9313
- Publisher:
- American Geophysical Union
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 58 GEOSCIENCES; Geochemistry & Geophysics
Citation Formats
Meyer, Dylan W., Flemings, Peter B., and DiCarlo, David. Effect of Gas Flow Rate on Hydrate Formation Within the Hydrate Stability Zone. United States: N. p., 2018.
Web. doi:10.1029/2018jb015878.
Meyer, Dylan W., Flemings, Peter B., & DiCarlo, David. Effect of Gas Flow Rate on Hydrate Formation Within the Hydrate Stability Zone. United States. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018jb015878
Meyer, Dylan W., Flemings, Peter B., and DiCarlo, David. Sat .
"Effect of Gas Flow Rate on Hydrate Formation Within the Hydrate Stability Zone". United States. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018jb015878. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1539756.
@article{osti_1539756,
title = {Effect of Gas Flow Rate on Hydrate Formation Within the Hydrate Stability Zone},
author = {Meyer, Dylan W. and Flemings, Peter B. and DiCarlo, David},
abstractNote = {Abstract We form methane hydrate in brine‐saturated, coarse‐grained samples, under hydrate‐stable conditions, by injecting methane vapor at various flow rates. Decreasing the flow rate results in higher hydrate saturation, lower brine saturation, a smaller affected volume, and larger average pressure differentials across the sample. We interpret that the longer execution times at lower flow rates allow for additional methane transport and hydrate formation at the hydrate‐brine interface. As a result, the hydrate skin is thicker at lower flow rates and thus is capable of sustaining larger pressure differentials. In several experiments, we stop brine flow and supply methane gas to the sample for an additional 800 hrs. During this period, hydrate continues to form, pressure differentials develop, and the bulk density changes within the affected volume. We interpret that there is gas present in the sample that is disconnected from the gas source. Hydrate forms around the disconnected gas due to methane transport through the skin that surrounds it, causing the internal gas pressure to decline and leading to inward collapse and net volume decrease. This lowers the brine pressure and creates a differential pressure across the sample that induces gas flow. This study indicates that lower gas flow rates through the hydrate stability zone can produce very high saturations of hydrate but require a larger differential pressure to sustain flow. Ultimately, this process is an alternative mechanism for sustained upward gas flow and hydrate formation far above the base of the hydrate stability zone.},
doi = {10.1029/2018jb015878},
journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth},
number = 8,
volume = 123,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Aug 04 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Sat Aug 04 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}
Web of Science
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