Modeling and Numerical Investigations of Gas Production from Natural Gas Hydrates

Zi-Jie Ning, Hong-Feng Lu (), Shao-Fei Zheng (), Dong-Hui Xing, Xian Li and Lei Liu
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Zi-Jie Ning: National Engineering Research Center of Gas Hydrate Exploration and Development, Guangzhou 511458, China
Hong-Feng Lu: National Engineering Research Center of Gas Hydrate Exploration and Development, Guangzhou 511458, China
Shao-Fei Zheng: State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
Dong-Hui Xing: National Engineering Research Center of Gas Hydrate Exploration and Development, Guangzhou 511458, China
Xian Li: National Engineering Research Center of Gas Hydrate Exploration and Development, Guangzhou 511458, China
Lei Liu: Beijing International Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd., Beijing 100055, China

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 20, 1-17

Abstract: As ice-like crystals and non-stoichiometric compounds comprising gas and water, natural gas hydrates have drawn significant attention as a potential alternative energy source. This work focuses on holistically reviewing theoretical modeling and numerical studies conducted on the production of gas from natural gas hydrates. Firstly, fundamental models for the dissociation of a hydrate in a porous sediment are summarized in terms of the phase equilibrium and dissociation kinetics. The main features of different models and improvements for them are identified by clarifying crucial driving mechanisms and kinetic parameters. Subsequently, various numerical works addressing the dissociation of a hydrate in a porous sediment and the flow characteristics in a wellbore are reviewed, including aspects such as the theoretical background, computational scheme, and the physics involved. In general, profiting from a significant capacity to solve nonlinear differential equations, numerical simulations have contributed to great progress in fundamentally understanding the mechanism driving gas production and in developing effective exploitation methods. Owing to the substantial fundamental physics involved in the exploitation of natural gas hydrates, existing challenges, alternative strategies, and future directions are provided correspondingly from a practical application perspective.

Keywords: natural gas hydrates; hydrate exploitation; theoretical model; numerical simulation; multiphase flow; heat and mass transfer (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: 2023
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