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

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

Dynamics, Gas hydrate, Laboratory testing, Resonant column, Small-strain stiffness
0008-3674
988-998
Sultaniya, Amit
8355d636-5ce9-4206-9f4f-cf7714fe5e20
Priest, Jeffrey A.
351c5a60-8c47-4050-904b-5a920d376e45
Clayton, C.R.I.
8397d691-b35b-4d3f-a6d8-40678f233869
Sultaniya, Amit
8355d636-5ce9-4206-9f4f-cf7714fe5e20
Priest, Jeffrey A.
351c5a60-8c47-4050-904b-5a920d376e45
Clayton, C.R.I.
8397d691-b35b-4d3f-a6d8-40678f233869

Sultaniya, Amit, Priest, Jeffrey A. and Clayton, C.R.I. (2018) Impact of formation and dissociation conditions on stiffness of a hydrate-bearing sand. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 55 (7), 988-998. (doi:10.1139/cgj-2017-0241).

Record type: Article

Abstract

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.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 26 October 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 8 November 2017
Published date: 2018
Keywords: Dynamics, Gas hydrate, Laboratory testing, Resonant column, Small-strain stiffness

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 422593
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/422593
ISSN: 0008-3674
PURE UUID: 05aa516b-5b26-42e0-84bc-3ddd8691fb72
ORCID for C.R.I. Clayton: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-0071-8437

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 26 Jul 2018 16:30
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 02:51

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Contributors

Author: Amit Sultaniya
Author: Jeffrey A. Priest
Author: C.R.I. Clayton ORCID iD

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