Water Retention Curve and Relative Permeability for Gas Production from Hydrate-Bearing Sediments

Abstract:

Water retention curve (soil water characteristic curve SWCC) and relative permeability equations are important to determine gas and water production for gas hydrate development. However, experimental studies to determine fitting parameters of those equations are not available in the literature. The objective of this research is to obtain reliable parameters for capillary pressure functions and relative permeability equations applicable to hydrate dissociation and gas production. In order to achieve this goal, (1) micro X-ray Computer Tomography (CT) is used to scan the specimen under 10MPa effective stress, (2) a pore network model is extracted from the CT image, (3) hydrate dissociation and gas expansion are simulated in the pore network model, (4) the parameters for the van Genuchten-type soil water characteristic curve and relative permeability equation during gas expansion are suggested. The research outcome will enhance the ability of numerical simulators to predict gas and water production rate.