Gas production behaviour of gas hydrate–bearing clayey-sand during depressurization: novel in-flight centrifuge modelling

Gas hydrate-bearing sediments (GHBS) are vastly distributed around the globe. While gas production attempts made through GHBS, long-term remains a challenge due to complex inter-related mechanisms involved. Better understating of responses requires sound physical modelling conducted under controlled conditions. A novel centrifuge energy harvesting chamber (CEHC) at HKUST facility is used in this study. This first that can operate elevated gravities with capability sustaining thermodynamically favourable conditions for hydrate formation, continuous inflow high-pressure water boundaries during dissociation, and an in-flight control wellbore pressure surcharge loading. Centrifuge recreate insitu stress gradient relatively small model expedite conduction convection processes involved dissociation. Consequently, in-situ be evaluated short time. test was 40g evaluate temperature-pressure response as well behaviour clayey-sand depressurization. The results suggests flow rate governed by initial available latent heat surrounding sediments. However, depressurization progresses, competing effects dissociation re-formation which both evolves permeability sediment. Details experiment reported paper.