A Counter-Current Heat-Exchange Reactor for the Thermal Stimulation of Hydrate-Bearing Sediments

Judith M. Schicks, Erik Spangenberg, Ronny Giese, Manja Luzi-Helbing, Mike Priegnitz and Bettina Beeskow-Strauch
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Judith M. Schicks: Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences Section 4.2, Telegrafenberg, Potsdam 14473, Germany
Erik Spangenberg: Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences Section 4.2, Telegrafenberg, Potsdam 14473, Germany
Ronny Giese: Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences Section 4.2, Telegrafenberg, Potsdam 14473, Germany
Manja Luzi-Helbing: Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences Section 4.2, Telegrafenberg, Potsdam 14473, Germany
Mike Priegnitz: Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences Section 4.2, Telegrafenberg, Potsdam 14473, Germany
Bettina Beeskow-Strauch: Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences Section 4.2, Telegrafenberg, Potsdam 14473, Germany

Energies, 2013, vol. 6, issue 6, 1-15

Abstract: Since huge amounts of CH 4 are bound in natural gas hydrates occurring at active and passive continental margins and in permafrost regions, the production of natural gas from hydrate-bearing sediments has become of more and more interest. Three different methods to destabilize hydrates and release the CH 4 gas are discussed in principle: thermal stimulation, depressurization and chemical stimulation. This study focusses on the thermal stimulation using a counter-current heat-exchange reactor for the in situ combustion of CH 4 . The principle of in situ combustion as a method for thermal stimulation of hydrate bearing sediments has been introduced and discussed earlier [1,2]. In this study we present the first results of several tests performed in a pilot plant scale using a counter-current heat-exchange reactor. The heat of the flameless, catalytic oxidation of CH 4 was used for the decomposition of hydrates in sand within a LArge Reservoir Simulator (LARS). Different catalysts were tested, varying from diverse elements of the platinum group to a universal metal catalyst. The results show differences regarding the conversion rate of CH 4 to CO 2 . The promising results of the latest reactor test, for which LARS was filled with sand and ca. 80% of the pore space was saturated with CH 4 hydrate, are also presented in this study. The data analysis showed that about 15% of the CH 4 gas released from hydrates would have to be used for the successful dissociation of all hydrates in the sediment using thermal stimulation via in situ combustion.

Keywords: thermal stimulation; in situ combustion; gas production; counter-current heat-exchange reactor (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: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (22)

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