Impact of formation and dissociation conditions on stiffness of a hydrate-bearing sand

Methane gas recovery from gas hydrate–bearing sands requires dissociation of the hydrate. Understanding changes in the stiffness of the sand is essential if future production scenarios are to be modelled realistically. This paper reports the results of resonant column tests conducted to measure chan...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian geotechnical journal 2018-07, Vol.55 (7), p.988-998
Main Authors: Sultaniya, Amit, Priest, Jeffrey A, Clayton, C.R.I
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chemical properties
colonne de résonnance
Dissociation
Dissociation reactions
dynamics
dynamique
Effective stress
essais de laboratoire
gas hydrate
Gas hydrates
Gas recovery
hydrate de gaz
Hydrates
laboratory testing
Mechanical properties
Modulus of elasticity
Morphology
Observations
Pressure reduction
Reduction
resonant column
rigidité à faibles déformations
Sand
Sands
Saturation
small-strain stiffness
Stiffness
Stimulation
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Summary:Methane gas recovery from gas hydrate–bearing sands requires dissociation of the hydrate. Understanding changes in the stiffness of the sand is essential if future production scenarios are to be modelled realistically. This paper reports the results of resonant column tests conducted to measure changes in shear and flexural Young’s modulus (stiffness) of sand specimens during the formation and dissociation of hydrate within the pore space. Factors such as hydrate saturation, effective stress, and dissociation method (thermal stimulation and depressurization) were evaluated. Results show a nonlinear relationship between stiffness and hydrate volume, with hydrate formation and dissociation giving markedly different changes in stiffness. Stiffness increases more slowly during the initial stages of hydrate formation, compared to later stages, with the eventual stiffness being independent of the effective stress applied at the start of formation. In contrast, the onset of dissociation leads to a rapid reduction in stiffness, with thermal stimulation giving a greater reduction compared to depressurization for similar changes in hydrate volume. These results highlight the impact of hydrate morphology on changes in stiffness during the hydrate formation process or its dissociation. We present and discuss a conceptual model to explain the differences observed.
ISSN:0008-3674
1208-6010
DOI:10.1139/cgj-2017-0241