Permeability Models of Hydrate-Bearing Sediments: A Comprehensive Review with Focus on Normalized Permeability

Jianchun Xu, Ziwei Bu, Hangyu Li, Xiaopu Wang and Shuyang Liu
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Jianchun Xu: School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
Ziwei Bu: School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
Hangyu Li: School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
Xiaopu Wang: School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
Shuyang Liu: School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 13, 1-65

Abstract: Natural gas hydrates (NGHs) are regarded as a new energy resource with great potential and wide application prospects due to their tremendous reserves and low CO 2 emission. Permeability, which governs the fluid flow and transport through hydrate-bearing sediments (HBSs), directly affects the fluid production from hydrate deposits. Therefore, permeability models play a significant role in the prediction and optimization of gas production from NGH reservoirs via numerical simulators. To quantitatively analyze and predict the long-term gas production performance of hydrate deposits under distinct hydrate phase behavior and saturation, it is essential to well-establish the permeability model, which can accurately capture the characteristics of permeability change during production. Recently, a wide variety of permeability models for single-phase fluid flowing sediment have been established. They typically consider the influences of hydrate saturation, hydrate pore habits, sediment pore structure, and other related factors on the hydraulic properties of hydrate sediments. However, the choice of permeability prediction models leads to substantially different predictions of gas production in numerical modeling. In this work, the most available and widely used permeability models proposed by researchers worldwide were firstly reviewed in detail. We divide them into four categories, namely the classical permeability models, reservoir simulator used models, modified permeability models, and novel permeability models, based on their theoretical basis and derivation method. In addition, the advantages and limitations of each model were discussed with suggestions provided. Finally, the challenges existing in the current research were discussed and the potential future investigation directions were proposed. This review can provide insightful guidance for understanding the modeling of fluid flow in HBSs and can be useful for developing more advanced models for accurately predicting the permeability change during hydrate resources exploitation.

Keywords: natural gas hydrates (NGHs); hydrate-bearing sediments (HBSs); numerical simulators; permeability models; gas production performance; hydrate resources exploitation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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