Methane Hydrate Dissociation in Quartz Sand by Depressurization Combined with Microwave Stimulation

Zhu, Yue1; Li, Xuhui1; Wang, Pengfei2; Li, Yun2; Li, Shengli1; Bondarenko, Volodymyr3; Dreus, Andrii4; Li, Xiaoyang5; Zhu, Jinlong2,6; Liu, Baochang1

2023-02-01

10.1021/acs.energyfuels.2c04037

ENERGY & FUELS   Impact Factor & Quartile

0887-0624

1520-5029

Depressurization combined with thermal stimula-tion is a promising method for gas hydrate production. Owing to its advantages of rapid uniform heating, microwave radiation is an efficient source of heat. However, the mechanisms of hydrate decomposition under depressurization combined microwave stimulation are currently unclear. In this study, methane hydrate was synthesized under 6 MPa and 2 degrees C, with hydrate saturation of approximately 42% in natural quartz sand. We then compared hydrate decomposition via rapid depressurization and piecewise depressurization, with or without microwave stimulation at 2.45 GHz and 400 W. When using the depressurization method alone, the hydrate decomposition rate increased with the depressurization amplitude. However, in the last stage of hydrate decomposition, the external flow of gas was hindered by the Jamin effect, especially under larger depressurization amplitudes; therefore, extremely low production pressure is not justified. When combined with microwave stimulation, both depressurization methods resulted in increased reservoir temperature within a few seconds, and microwave heating provided an extra driving force for hydrate decomposition. Furthermore, microwave heating was more effective when larger amounts of undecomposed hydrate remained after depressurization. When depressurization was combined with microwave stimulation, the average gas production rate at 100% gas production was 0.269-0.601 L/min, which was significantly higher than that for depressurization alone. However, the energy efficiency ratio was approximately 1, which has no practical value. Conversely, the average gas production rate at 90% gas production was 0.452-2.945 L/min and the energy efficiency ratio was 2.9-17.6. Under the combined method, gas hydrate decomposition at a production pressure of 1.9 MPa achieved the subtle balance between the average gas generation rate and energy efficiency. Thus, optimizing the gas production pressure and microwave stimulation time can improve the average gas production rate and energy efficiency ratio according to the reservoir hydrate conditions.

SCI

English

Corresponding

National Key Research and Development Program of China[2018YFE0208200] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China["52106092","11775011"] ; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Natural Gas Hydrates[ZDSYS 20200421111201738] ; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou)[K19313901] ; Shenzhen Fundamental Research Program[JCYJ20220530113011027] ; Guangdong Province Basic and Applied Research Natural Science Foundation[2023A1515012761]

Energy & Fuels ; Engineering

Energy & Fuels ; Engineering, Chemical

WOS:000935575500001

AMER CHEMICAL SOC

ENGINEERING

Web of Science

1.Jilin Univ, Coll Construct Engn, Changchun 130026, Peoples R China
2.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Acad Adv Interdisciplinary Studies, Shenzhen Key Lab Nat Gas Hydrates, Shenzhen 51805, Peoples R China
3.Dnipro Univ Technol, Dept Min Engn & Educ, UA-49005 Dnipro, Ukraine
4.Oles Honchar Dnipro Natl Univ, Dept Fluid Mech & Energy & Mass Transfer, UA-49089 Dnipro, Ukraine
5.China Geol Survey, Inst Explorat Tech, Langfang 065000, Peoples R China
6.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Phys, Shenzhen 51805, Peoples R China

Zhu, Yue,Li, Xuhui,Wang, Pengfei,et al. Methane Hydrate Dissociation in Quartz Sand by Depressurization Combined with Microwave Stimulation[J]. ENERGY & FUELS,2023.

Zhu, Yue.,Li, Xuhui.,Wang, Pengfei.,Li, Yun.,Li, Shengli.,...&Liu, Baochang.(2023).Methane Hydrate Dissociation in Quartz Sand by Depressurization Combined with Microwave Stimulation.ENERGY & FUELS.

Zhu, Yue,et al."Methane Hydrate Dissociation in Quartz Sand by Depressurization Combined with Microwave Stimulation".ENERGY & FUELS (2023).