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Title: Experimental and numerical investigation of hydrate-guest molecule exchange kinetics

Journal Article · · Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering
ORCiD logo [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
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The 2012 Ignik Sikumi #1 Field Trial in Alaska was designed to test at field scale a methane hydrate production methodology that involves injecting carbon dioxide (CO2) in situ to exchange with methane (CH4) within a hydrate structure, thus releasing the methane for production. Since the completion of the field trial, experimental and numerical investigations have sought to better understand observations in terms of CH4 production and changes to the hydrate bearing formation. Collectively, these insights may lead to more effective strategies for producing CH4 from naturally occurring hydrates. This study presents results from a laboratory experiment performed at conditions experienced during the field trial (8.27 MPa and 275.15 K) to collect data relating to the CH4 molecular exchange process. The experiment intentionally isolated the kinetic guest molecule exchange process from additional hydrate formation and mechanical changes to the hydrate bearing sand. Data were used to inform development of numerical models that were then used to fit key hydrate parameters (bound water saturation, kinetic formation constant, kinetic exchange constant, and preferential exchange weighting factors) and analyze experimental results. Results were in agreement with observations of preferential CO2/CH4 guest molecule exchange at Ignik Sikumi #1 and from previous experimental studies while providing quantitative estimates of changing hydrate compositions. Additionally, simulations confirmed hydrate behavior and composition profiles otherwise indirectly evidenced by experimental results.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830; FWP 65213; 65212
OSTI ID:
1729860
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1779518
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-115437
Journal Information:
Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, Vol. 35, Issue B; ISSN 1875-5100
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (4)

Modeling recovery of natural gas from hydrate reservoirs with carbon dioxide sequestration: Validation with Iġnik Sikumi field data journal December 2019
Nitrogen‐Driven Chromatographic Separation During Gas Injection Into Hydrate‐Bearing Sediments journal August 2019
Effect of NaCl on methane hydrate formation and dissociation in porous media journal November 2015
Fundamental of swapping phenomena in naturally occurring gas hydrates journal November 2018

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Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
methane hydrate
hydrate-guest molecule exchange
hydrate kinetics
CH4 replacement
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