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Title: Depressurization-Induced Fines Migration in Sediments Containing Methane Hydrate: X-Ray Computed Tomography Imaging Experiments

Abstract

Depressurization of hydrate-bearing sediments (HBS) can cause the movement of fine particles, and in turn, such fines migration affects fluid flow and mechanical behavior of sediments, ultimately affecting long-term hydrocarbon production and wellbore stability. In this work, we investigate how and to what extent depressurization of HBS causes fines migration using X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging. Methane hydrate was synthesized in sediments with 10% fines content (FC), composed of sands with silt and/or clay, and the hydrate-bearing samples were stepwisely depressurized while acquiring CT images. The CT images were analyzed to quantify the spatial changes in FC in the host sediment and thus to capture the fines migration during depressurization. It was found that the FC changes began occurring from the hydrate dissociation regions. This confirms that the multiphase flow caused by depressurization accompanies fines migration. Depressurization of HBS with a hydrate saturation of ~20–40% caused FC reduction from ~10% to ~6–9%, and the extent of fines migration differed with the particle sizes of the host sands and the types of fines. It was found that fines migration was more pronounced with coarse sands and with silty fines. Such observed level of FC reduction is estimated to increase sediment permeabilitymore » by several factors based on the Kozeny-type permeability model. In conclusion, our results support the notion that the extent of fines migration and its effect on fluid flow behavior need to be assessed in consideration of physical properties of host sediment and fine particles to identify optimum depressurization strategies.« less

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [3]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon (South Korea). Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  2. Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), Daejeon (South Korea). Oil and Gas Research Center
  3. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Hydrocarbon Resources Program Head
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
1477278
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-05CH11231
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 123; Journal Issue: 4; Journal ID: ISSN 2169-9313
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
58 GEOSCIENCES; 42 ENGINEERING; Methane Hydrate; X-ray CT; Fines migration; Depressurization; Dissociation; Multiphase Flow

Citation Formats

Han, Gyeol, Kwon, Tae-Hyuk, Lee, Joo Yong, and Kneafsey, Timothy J. Depressurization-Induced Fines Migration in Sediments Containing Methane Hydrate: X-Ray Computed Tomography Imaging Experiments. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1002/2017JB014988.
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Han, Gyeol, Kwon, Tae-Hyuk, Lee, Joo Yong, & Kneafsey, Timothy J. Depressurization-Induced Fines Migration in Sediments Containing Methane Hydrate: X-Ray Computed Tomography Imaging Experiments. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JB014988
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Han, Gyeol, Kwon, Tae-Hyuk, Lee, Joo Yong, and Kneafsey, Timothy J. Sat . "Depressurization-Induced Fines Migration in Sediments Containing Methane Hydrate: X-Ray Computed Tomography Imaging Experiments". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JB014988. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1477278.
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@article{osti_1477278,
title = {Depressurization-Induced Fines Migration in Sediments Containing Methane Hydrate: X-Ray Computed Tomography Imaging Experiments},
author = {Han, Gyeol and Kwon, Tae-Hyuk and Lee, Joo Yong and Kneafsey, Timothy J.},
abstractNote = {Depressurization of hydrate-bearing sediments (HBS) can cause the movement of fine particles, and in turn, such fines migration affects fluid flow and mechanical behavior of sediments, ultimately affecting long-term hydrocarbon production and wellbore stability. In this work, we investigate how and to what extent depressurization of HBS causes fines migration using X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging. Methane hydrate was synthesized in sediments with 10% fines content (FC), composed of sands with silt and/or clay, and the hydrate-bearing samples were stepwisely depressurized while acquiring CT images. The CT images were analyzed to quantify the spatial changes in FC in the host sediment and thus to capture the fines migration during depressurization. It was found that the FC changes began occurring from the hydrate dissociation regions. This confirms that the multiphase flow caused by depressurization accompanies fines migration. Depressurization of HBS with a hydrate saturation of ~20–40% caused FC reduction from ~10% to ~6–9%, and the extent of fines migration differed with the particle sizes of the host sands and the types of fines. It was found that fines migration was more pronounced with coarse sands and with silty fines. Such observed level of FC reduction is estimated to increase sediment permeability by several factors based on the Kozeny-type permeability model. In conclusion, our results support the notion that the extent of fines migration and its effect on fluid flow behavior need to be assessed in consideration of physical properties of host sediment and fine particles to identify optimum depressurization strategies.},
doi = {10.1002/2017JB014988},
journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth},
number = 4,
volume = 123,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Mar 24 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Sat Mar 24 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}
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Journal Article:
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Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JB014988
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Cited by: 39 works
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Figures / Tables:

Figure 1 Figure 1: Grain size distributions of the materials used: A Ottawa 20–30 sand, F110 sand, silica sit, and kaolinite, and b the sediment samples containing fines and the glass bead layer. The opening size of the screen is also denoted.
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    Works referencing / citing this record:

    Effects of Fine-Grained Particles’ Migration and Clogging in Porous Media on Gas Production from Hydrate-Bearing Sediments
    journal, May 2019

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