New Hybrid Method for Gas-Hydrate Digital Rock Reconstruction and Its Accuracy Evaluation
Publication: Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 6
Abstract
Analyzing the petrophysical properties of gas hydrate reservoirs under different conditions by experimental methods is time-consuming, costly, and very difficult. Therefore, it is of great practical significance to accurately reconstruct gas hydrate digital rocks using numerical simulation methods. In this study, based on in situ observations of gas hydrate pore habits and variation laws in the laboratory, a hybrid method was adopted to simulate pore-scale spatial distribution characteristics of gas hydrate using a digital rock model. The hybrid method combined classical nucleation theory, the diffusion-limited aggregation model, and the cluster-cluster aggregation model. Then, the pore size distribution, local porosity distribution, and average seepage probability distribution of gas hydrate digital rock and gas hydrate–bearing sediments were calculated and compared. In addition, the finite-element method was used to simulate and compare the reconstructed digital rock’s resistivity index and elastic modulus. The results showed that the hybrid method can effectively simulate the spatial distribution characteristics and variation laws of gas hydrate on the pore scale. In addition, the resistivity index and elastic modulus of the reconstructed gas hydrate digital rock were relatively close to those of gas hydrate–bearing sediments. However, compared with gas hydrate–bearing sediments, the average pore size of the reconstructed gas hydrate digital rock was smaller, and the pore connectivity showed a slight amount of difference. In summary, this investigation was of great significance in systematically studying the petrophysical properties of gas hydrate reservoirs.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
All data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41874138).
References
Biswal, B., C. Manwart, R. Hilfer, S. Bakke, and P. E. Oren. 1999. “Quantitative analysis of experimental and synthetic microstructures for sedimentary rock.” Physica A 273 (3): 452–475. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-4371(99)00248-4.
Bu, Q., S. Liu, G. Hu, C. Liu, and Y. Wan. 2020. “Acoustic characteristics of hydrate-bearing sediments: A comparative analysis of experimental and numerical simulations results.” Mar. Geol. Front. 36 (9): 56–67. https://doi.org/10.16028/j.1009-2722.2020.079.
Chen, G., C. Li, C. Liu, and L. Xing. 2019. “Effect of microscopic distribution of methane hydrate on resistivity in porous media.” Adv. New Renewable Energy 7 (6): 493–499. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.2095-560X.2019.06.004.
Chen, Q., C. Liu, Y. Ye, S. Diao, and J. Zhang. 2008. “Preliminary research about the nucleation of gas hydrate in porous media.” Acta Pet. Sin. 24 (3): 345–349. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1001-8719.2008.03.018.
Chen, Y., D. Li, D. Liang, J. Du, and N. Wu. 2013. “Resistivity measurement on the marine sediments containing natural gas hydrate.” Prog. Geophys. 28 (2): 1041–1047. https://doi.org/10.6038/pg20130258.
Chen, Y., D. Liang, and N. Wu. 2018a. “Influence of gas hydrate on rock resistivity in Shenhu area, South China Sea.” Oil Geophys. Prospect. 53 (6): 1241–1246.
Chen, Y., N. Wu, D. Liang, and R. Hu. 2018b. “Numerical simulation on the resistivity of hydrate-bearing sediment based on the fractal pore model.” Nat. Gas Ind. 38 (11): 128–134.
Dong, H., J. Sun, M. Arif, N. Golsanami, W. Yan, and Y. Zhang. 2020. “A novel hybrid method for gas hydrate filling modes identification via digital rock.” Mar. Pet. Geol. 115 (May): 104255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2020.104255.
Dong, H., J. Sun, L. Cui, L. Song, W. Yan, Y. Li, Z. Lin, and H. Fang. 2018a. “Study on the effects of natural gas hydrate cementation mode on the physical properties of rocks.” J. Geophys. Eng. 15 (4): 1399–1406. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-2140/aab625.
Dong, H., J. Sun, Z. Lin, H. Fang, Y. Li, L. Cui, and W. Yan. 2018b. “3D pore-type digital rock modeling of natural gas hydrate for permafrost and numerical simulation of electrical properties.” J. Geophys. Eng. 15 (1): 275–285. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-2140/aa8a8e.
Dong, H., J. Sun, J. Zhu, L. Liu, Z. Lin, N. Golsanami, L. Cui, and W. Yan. 2019. “Developing a new hydrate saturation calculation model for hydrate-bearing sediments.” Fuel 248 (Jul): 27–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2019.03.038.
Family, F., P. Meakin, and T. Vicsek. 1985. “Cluster size distribution in chemically controlled cluster-cluster aggregation.” J. Chem. Phys. 83 (8): 4144–4150. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.449079.
Feng, Q., et al. 2019. “Dynamic and cell-infiltratable hydrogels as injectable carrier of therapeutic cells and drugs for treating challenging bone defects.” ACS Cent. Sci. 5 (3): 440–450. https://doi.org/10.1021/acscentsci.8b00764.
Gao, X., H. Zheng, Y. Zhang, and N. Golsanami. 2019. “Tax policy, environmental concern and level of emission reduction.” Sustainability 11 (4): 1047. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11041047.
Golsanami, N., E. Bakhshi, W. Yan, H. Dong, E. Barzgar, G. Zhang, and S. Mahbaz. 2020. “Relationships between the geomechanical parameters and Archie’s coefficients of fractured carbonate reservoirs: A new insight.” Energy Sources Part A 42: 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/15567036.2020.1849463.
Golsanami, N., X. Zhang, W. Yan, L. Yu, H. Dong, X. Dong, L. Cui, M. N. Jayasuriya, S. G. Fernando, and E. Barzgar. 2021. “NMR-based study of the pore types’ contribution to the elastic response of the reservoir rock.” Energies 14 (5): 1513. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14051513.
Hentschel, H. G. E., J. M. Deutch, and P. Mwakin. 1986. “The effect of rotational Brownian motion on Witten-Sander aggregates.” J. Chem. Phys. 85 (4): 2147–2153. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.451107.
Hu, G., C. Li, Y. Ye, C. Liu, J. Zhang, and S. Diao. 2014. “Observation of gas hydrate distribution in sediment pore space.” Chin. J. Geophys. 57 (5): 1675–1682. https://doi.org/10.6038/cjg20140530.
Hu, G., Y. Ye, J. Zhang, S. Diao, and C. Liu. 2012. “Acoustic properties of hydrate-bearing unconsolidated sediments based on bender element technique.” Chin. J. Geophys. 55 (11): 3762–3773. https://doi.org/10.6038/j.issn.0001-5733.2012.11.023.
Jin, T., X. Gao, J. Zhang, H. Wang, S. Zhang, and B. Chen. 2003. “Consideration on the morphology and floc structure of the Yellow River silt.” J. Sed. Res. 5: 69–73. https://doi.org/10.3321/j.issn:0468-155X.2003.05.013.
Kashchiev, D., and A. Firoozabadi. 2002. “Nucleation of gas hydrates.” J. Cryst. Growth 243 (3–4): 476–489. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-0248(02)01576-2.
Lei, H., N. Qiao, D. Geng, and H. Zhang. 2012. “DLA model for frost crystal growth on hydrophobic cold surface.” J. Northeast. Univ. 33 (11): 1591–1594.
Lian, W., J. Wang, G. Wang, D. Gao, X. Li, Z. Zhang, W. Huang, X. Hao, and B. Hou. 2020. “Investigation on the lignite pyrolysis reaction kinetics based on the general Arrhenius formula.” Fuel 268 (May): 117364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2020.117364.
Liu, L., Z. Zhang, C. Li, F. Ning, C. Liu, N. Wu, and J. Cai. 2020. “Hydrate growth in quartzitic sands and implication of pore fractal characteristics to hydraulic, mechanical, and electrical properties of hydrate-bearing sediments.” J. Nat. Gas Sci. Eng. 75 (Mar): 103109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2019.103109.
Liu, X., J. Sun, H. Wang, and H. Yu. 2009. “The accuracy evaluation on 3D digital cores reconstructed by sequence indicator simulation.” Acta Pet. Sin. 30 (3): 391–395. https://doi.org/10.3321/j.issn:0253-2697.2009.03.012.
Liu, X., J. Yan, X. Zhang, L. Zhang, H. Ni, W. Zhou, B. Wei, C. Li, and L. Fu. 2021. “Numerical upscaling of multi-mineral digital rocks: Electrical conductivities of tight sandstones.” J. Petrol. Sci. Eng. 201 (Jun): 108530. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2021.108530.
Logan, S. R. 1999. “The Arrhenius equation revisited.” J. Chem. Educ. 76 (7): 899. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed076p899.2.
Lu, J., H. Tang, and Y. Sun. 2019. “Measures and suggestions on restraining China’s excessive growth of natural gas external dependence.” Nat. Gas Ind. 39 (8): 1–9. https://doi.org/10.3787/j.issn.1000-0976.2019.08.001.
Meakin, P. 1985. “The structure of two-dimensional Witten-Sander aggregates.” J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 18 (11): L661–L666. https://doi.org/10.1088/0305-4470/18/11/006.
Meakin, P., Z. Chen, and J. Deutch. 1985. “The translational friction coefficient and time dependent cluster size distribution of three dimensional cluster-cluster aggregation.” J. Chem. Phys. 82 (8): 3786–3789. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.448890.
Meakin, P., and F. Family. 1987. “Structure and kinetics of reaction-limited aggregation.” Phys. Rev. A 36 (11): 5498–5501. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.36.5498.
Sandkuhler, P., M. Lattuada, H. Wu, J. Sefcik, and M. Morbidelli. 2005. “Further insights into the universality of colloidal aggregation.” Adv. Colloid Interface Sci. 113 (2–3): 65–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cis.2004.12.001.
Sun, C., G. Chen, and T. Guo. 2001. “The status of the kinetics of hydrate nucleation.” Acta Pet. Sin. 22 (4): 82–86. https://doi.org/10.3321/j.issn:0253-2697.2001.04.016.
Winters, W. J., W. F. Waite, D. H. Mason, L. Y. Gilbert, and I. A. Pecher. 2007. “Methane gas hydrate effect on sediment acoustic and strength properties.” J. Pet. Sci. Eng. 56 (1–3): 127–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2006.02.003.
Witten, T. A., and L. M. Sander. 1981. “Diffusion-limited aggregation, a kinetic critical phenomenon.” Phys. Rev. Lett. 47 (19): 1400–1403. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.47.1400.
Xing, L., Y. Qi, T. Zhu, L. Chen, C. Liu, Q. Meng, and L. Liu. 2018. “Joint detection of the electrical and acoustics response characteristics of methane hydrate bearing sediments: Apparatus development and experimental study.” Adv. New Renewable Energy 6 (2): 119–129. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.2095-560X.2018.02.006.
Xiong, H., H. Li, W. Chen, J. Xu, and L. Wu. 2010. “Application of the cluster-cluster aggregation model to an open system.” J. Colloid Interface Sci. 344 (1): 37–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2009.12.051.
Xiong, H., Z. Yang, and H. Li. 2014. “Coupling effects of diffusive model and sticking model on aggregation kinetics of colloidal particles: A Monte Carlo simulation study.” Acta Phys. Chim. Sin. 30 (3): 413–422. https://doi.org/10.3866/PKU.WHXB201401203.
Yang, L., J. Zhao, W. Liu, M. Yang, and Y. Song. 2015. “Experimental study on the effective thermal conductivity of hydrate-bearing sediments.” Energy 79 (Jan): 203–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2014.11.008.
Yao, J., X. Zhao, Y. Yi, and J. Tao. 2007. “Analysis methods for reservoir rock’s microstructure.” J. China Univ. Pet. 31 (1): 80–86. https://doi.org/10.3321/j.issn:1000-5870.2007.01.016.
Yun, T. S., F. M. Francisca, J. C. Santamarina, and C. Ruppel. 2005. “Compressional and shear wave velocities in uncemented sediment containing gas hydrate.” Geophys. Res. Lett. 32 (10): L10609. https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL022607.
Zatsepina, O. Y., and B. A. Buffett. 2001. “Experimental study of the stability of -hydrate in a porous medium.” Fluid Phase Equilib. 192 (1–2): 85–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-3812(01)00636-7.
Zatsepina, O. Y., and B. A. Buffett. 2002. “Nucleation of -hydrate in a porous medium.” Fluid Phase Equilib. 200 (2): 263–275. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-3812(02)00032-8.
Zatsepina, O. Y., and B. A. Buffett. 2003. “Nucleation of gas hydrate in marine environments.” Geophys. Res. Lett. 30 (9): 1451. https://doi.org/10.1029/2002GL016802.
Zeng, J., G. Hu, L. Li, Q. Chen, N. Wu, and G. Wang. 2016. “Numerical reconstruction of 3D pore structure for gas hydrate bearing sediments.” Nat. Gas Ind. 36 (5): 128–133. https://doi.org/10.3787/j.issn.1000-0976.2016.05.019.
Zhao, W., H. Li, and W. Yang. 2012. “Present situation and progress of geophysical exploration technology for conventional oil and gas in China.” China Pet. Explor. 17 (4): 36–40.
Zou, C., et al. 2012. “New advance in unconventional petroleum exploration and research in China.” Bull. Min. Pet. Geochem. 31 (4): 312–322. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1007-2802.2012.04.002.
Zou, C., et al. 2015. “Progress in China’s unconventional oil and gas exploration and development and theoretical technologies.” Acta Geol. Sin. 6: 979–1007. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.0001-5717.2015.06.001.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 6 • December 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 30, 2021
Accepted: Jul 13, 2021
Published online: Sep 28, 2021
Published in print: Dec 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Feb 28, 2022
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.
Cited by
- Naser Golsanami, Bin Gong, Sajjad Negahban, Evaluating the Effect of New Gas Solubility and Bubble Point Pressure Models on PVT Parameters and Optimizing Injected Gas Rate in Gas-Lift Dual Gradient Drilling, Energies, 10.3390/en15031212, 15, 3, (1212), (2022).
- Huaimin Dong, Jianmeng Sun, Muhammad Arif, Yihuai Zhang, Weichao Yan, Stefan Iglauer, Naser Golsanami, Digital rock-based investigation of conductivity mechanism in low-resistivity gas hydrate reservoirs: Insights from the Muli area's gas hydrates, Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 10.1016/j.petrol.2022.110988, 218, (110988), (2022).
- Rui Li, Yingfang Zhou, Wenbo Zhan, Jianhui Yang, Pore-scale modelling of elastic properties in hydrate-bearing sediments using 4-D synchrotron radiation imaging, Marine and Petroleum Geology, 10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2022.105864, 145, (105864), (2022).