Toward Production From Gas Hydrates: Current Status, Assessment of Resources, and Simulation-Based Evaluationof Technology and Potential

Gas hydrates are a vast energy resource with global distribution in the permafrost and in the oceans. Even if conservative estimates are considered and only a small fraction is recoverable, the sheer size of the resource is so large that it demands evaluation as a potential energy source. In this review paper, we discuss the distribution of natural gas hydrate accumulations, the status of the primary international R&D programs, and the remaining science and technological challenges facing commercialization of production. After a brief examination of gas hydrate accumulations that are well characterized and appear to be models for future development and gas production, we analyze the role of numerical simulation in the assessment of the hydrate production potential, identify the data needs for reliable predictions, evaluate the status of knowledge with regard to these needs, discuss knowledge gaps and their impact, and reach the conclusion that the numerical simulation capabilities are quite advanced and that the related gaps are either not significant or are being addressed. We review the current body of literature relevant to potential productivity from different types of gas hydrate deposits, and determine that there are consistent indications of a large production potential at high rates over long periods from a wide variety of hydrate deposits. Finally, we identify (a) features, conditions, geology and techniques that are desirable in potential production targets, (b) methods to maximize production, and (c) some of the conditions and characteristics that render certain gas hydrate deposits undesirable for production

Water content of carbon dioxide at hydrate forming conditions

There is an interest to ensure sub-saturated water content in lines containing carbon dioxide in applications such as enhanced oil recovery and carbon sequestration, to reduce risks of hydrate blockage and corrosion. The water content of carbon dioxide at various temperatures and pressures has been measured in the past, but there is no consistent set of measurements that could be used for carbon dioxide storage and transportation design work. The solubility of water in a carbon dioxide rich gas phase at hydrate forming conditions was measured in this work. Pressures ranged from 12.06 to 29.30 bar along two isotherms, 1 °C and −7 °C, all within the gaseous carbon dioxide and hydrate stability zone. For the first time in these types of measurements, the solid phase was also characterized and confirmed to be carbon dioxide hydrate via X-ray computed tomography, simultaneous with water content measurements of the gas phase. Once carbon dioxide hydrate conversion had reached a maximum value (65% estimated by X-ray computed tomography), the equilibrium water content was measured. Prior to reaching this maximum carbon dioxide hydrate conversion, the water content in carbon dioxide was observed to decrease as liquid water converted to carbon dioxide hydrate. This slow conversion to hydrate, metastability of the hydrate phase, or unexpected phases may be responsible for the large discrepancy between prior data sets for similar carbon dioxide water content measurements

First Dark Matter Limits from a Large-Mass, Low-Background Superheated Droplet Detector

We report on the fabrication aspects and calibration of the first large active mass ($\sim15$ g) modules of SIMPLE, a search for particle dark matter using Superheated Droplet Detectors (SDDs). While still limited by the statistical uncertainty of the small data sample on hand, the first weeks of operation in the new underground laboratory of Rustrel-Pays d'Apt already provide a sensitivity to axially-coupled Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) competitive with leading experiments, confirming SDDs as a convenient, low-cost alternative for WIMP detection.Comment: Final version, Phys. Rev. Lett. (in press

Clathrate hydrate measurements: microscopic, mesoscopic, and macroscopic

A hydrate state-of-the-art is given for fundamental measurements and modeling of phase equilibria and kinetics, via a 204 paper summary of the triennial International Hydrate Conference in May 2002. Emphasis is given to new measurement techniques with their application in the next generation of hydrate modeling. Future challenges are presented. With this Phase Equilibria Plenary Lecture in the 17th International Conference on Chemical Thermodynamics, goes my appreciation for both the honor, and the motivation to attempt a state-of-the-art summary. All too frequently such summaries take on a personal perspective that omit important developments, perhaps because they were not developed by the writer, and were therefore less familiar. Yet currently we are two months after the fourth triennial International Conferences on Gas Hydrates (Yokohama, Japan, 19–23 May 2002). That conference was blessed with a chairman who provided two volumes (1062 pages) written by 500 (even!) authors. A CD of conference papers is available at nominal cost through the ICGH-4 Secretariat ([email protected]). The challenge of this invited manuscript is to provide a pure and applied phase equilibria summary of the above conference, supplemented by a few other references, in an overview of the hydrate community’s current direction. The conference provides a technical snapshot of hydrate research over the world, making it possible to weave a few current threads into the hydrate fabric in space and time. Emerging images provide some clues to the future. To supplement this view the reader may wish to turn to the other reviews [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6] on pure and applied phase equilibria of hydrates

Gas Hydrates: Review of Physical/Chemical Properties

An overview is provided of time-independent physical/chemical properties as related to crystal structures. The following two points are illustrated in this review:  (1) Physical and chemical properties of structure I (sI) and structure II (sII) hydrates are well-defined; measurements have begun on sH. Properties of sI and sII are determined by the molecular structures, described by three heuristics:  (i) Mechanical properties approximate those of ice, perhaps because hydrates are 85 mol % water. Yet each volume of hydrate may contain as much as 180 volumes (STP) of the hydrate-forming species. (ii) Phase equilibrium is set by the size ratio of guest molecules within host cages, and three-phase (Lw−H−V) equilibrium pressure depends exponentially upon temperature. (iii) Heats of formation are set by the hydrogen-bonded crystals and are reasonably constant within a range of guest sizes. (2) Fundamental research challenges are (a) to routinely measure the hydrate phase (via diffraction, NMR, Raman, etc.), and (b) to formulate an acceptable model for hydrate formation kinetics. The reader may wish to investigate details of this review further, via references contained in several recent monographs

Gas Hydrate Stability and Sampling: The Future as Related to the Phase Diagram

The phase diagram for methane + water is explained, in relation to hydrate applications, such as in flow assurance and in nature. For natural applications, the phase diagram determines the regions for hydrate formation for two- and three-phase conditions. Impacts are presented for sample preparation and recovery. We discuss an international study for “Round Robin” hydrate sample preparation protocols and testing