Growth behavior and resource potential evaluation of gas hydrate in core fractures in Qilian Mountain permafrost area, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

ABSTRACT: The Qilian Mountain permafrost area located in the northern of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is a favorable place for natural gas hydrate formation and enrichment, due to its well-developed fractures and abundant gas sources. Understanding the formation and distribution of multi-component gas hydr...

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Main Authors: Qing-guo Meng, Chang-ling Liu, Zhen-quan Lu, Xi-luo Hao, Cheng-feng Li, Qing-tao Bu, Yun-kai Ji, Jia-xian Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2023-04-01
Series:China Geology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2096519223013927
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author Qing-guo Meng
Chang-ling Liu
Zhen-quan Lu
Xi-luo Hao
Cheng-feng Li
Qing-tao Bu
Yun-kai Ji
Jia-xian Wang
author_facet Qing-guo Meng
Chang-ling Liu
Zhen-quan Lu
Xi-luo Hao
Cheng-feng Li
Qing-tao Bu
Yun-kai Ji
Jia-xian Wang
author_sort Qing-guo Meng
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT: The Qilian Mountain permafrost area located in the northern of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is a favorable place for natural gas hydrate formation and enrichment, due to its well-developed fractures and abundant gas sources. Understanding the formation and distribution of multi-component gas hydrates in fractures is crucial in accurately evaluating the hydrate reservoir resources in this area. The hydrate formation experiments were carried out using the core samples drilled from hydrate-bearing sediments in Qilian Mountain permafrost area and the multi-component gas with similar composition to natural gas hydrates in Qilian Mountain permafrost area. The formation and distribution characteristics of multi-component gas hydrates in core samples were observed in situ by X-ray Computed Tomography (X-CT) under high pressure and low temperature conditions. Results show that hydrates are mainly formed and distributed in the fractures with good connectivity. The ratios of volume of hydrates formed in fractures to the volume of fractures are about 96.8% and 60.67% in two different core samples. This indicates that the fracture surface may act as a favorable reaction site for hydrate formation in core samples. Based on the field geological data and the experimental results, it is preliminarily estimated that the inventory of methane stored in the fractured gas hydrate in Qilian Mountain permafrost area is about 8.67×1013 m3, with a resource abundance of 8.67×108 m3/km2. This study demonstrates the great resource potential of fractured gas hydrate and also provides a new way to further understand the prospect of natural gas hydrate and other oil and gas resources in Qilian Mountain permafrost area.©2023 China Geology Editorial Office.
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spelling doaj-art-e85568149e2a40428ed2269bada588c32025-08-20T03:28:38ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.China Geology2589-94302023-04-016220821510.31035/cg2023021Growth behavior and resource potential evaluation of gas hydrate in core fractures in Qilian Mountain permafrost area, Qinghai-Tibet PlateauQing-guo Meng0Chang-ling Liu1Zhen-quan Lu2Xi-luo Hao3Cheng-feng Li4Qing-tao Bu5Yun-kai Ji6Jia-xian Wang7Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, China Geological Survey, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266237, China; Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, China; First author: E-mail address: mengqimg@126.com (Qing-guo Meng).Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, China Geological Survey, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266237, China; Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, China; Corresponding author: E-mail address: qdliuchangling@163.com (Chang-ling Liu); luzhq@vip.sina.com (Zhen-quan Lu).Oil and Gas Survey, China Geological Survey, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beijing 100083, China; Corresponding author: E-mail address: qdliuchangling@163.com (Chang-ling Liu); luzhq@vip.sina.com (Zhen-quan Lu).Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, China Geological Survey, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266237, China; Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, ChinaKey Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, China Geological Survey, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266237, China; Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, ChinaKey Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, China Geological Survey, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266237, China; Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, ChinaKey Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, China Geological Survey, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266237, China; Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, ChinaKey Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, China Geological Survey, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266237, China; Faculty of Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, ChinaABSTRACT: The Qilian Mountain permafrost area located in the northern of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is a favorable place for natural gas hydrate formation and enrichment, due to its well-developed fractures and abundant gas sources. Understanding the formation and distribution of multi-component gas hydrates in fractures is crucial in accurately evaluating the hydrate reservoir resources in this area. The hydrate formation experiments were carried out using the core samples drilled from hydrate-bearing sediments in Qilian Mountain permafrost area and the multi-component gas with similar composition to natural gas hydrates in Qilian Mountain permafrost area. The formation and distribution characteristics of multi-component gas hydrates in core samples were observed in situ by X-ray Computed Tomography (X-CT) under high pressure and low temperature conditions. Results show that hydrates are mainly formed and distributed in the fractures with good connectivity. The ratios of volume of hydrates formed in fractures to the volume of fractures are about 96.8% and 60.67% in two different core samples. This indicates that the fracture surface may act as a favorable reaction site for hydrate formation in core samples. Based on the field geological data and the experimental results, it is preliminarily estimated that the inventory of methane stored in the fractured gas hydrate in Qilian Mountain permafrost area is about 8.67×1013 m3, with a resource abundance of 8.67×108 m3/km2. This study demonstrates the great resource potential of fractured gas hydrate and also provides a new way to further understand the prospect of natural gas hydrate and other oil and gas resources in Qilian Mountain permafrost area.©2023 China Geology Editorial Office.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2096519223013927Gas hydrateGrowth behaviorCore fractureRock Quality DesignationResource potential evaluationEngineering
spellingShingle Qing-guo Meng
Chang-ling Liu
Zhen-quan Lu
Xi-luo Hao
Cheng-feng Li
Qing-tao Bu
Yun-kai Ji
Jia-xian Wang
Growth behavior and resource potential evaluation of gas hydrate in core fractures in Qilian Mountain permafrost area, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
China Geology
Gas hydrate
Growth behavior
Core fracture
Rock Quality Designation
Resource potential evaluation
Engineering
title Growth behavior and resource potential evaluation of gas hydrate in core fractures in Qilian Mountain permafrost area, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
title_full Growth behavior and resource potential evaluation of gas hydrate in core fractures in Qilian Mountain permafrost area, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
title_fullStr Growth behavior and resource potential evaluation of gas hydrate in core fractures in Qilian Mountain permafrost area, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
title_full_unstemmed Growth behavior and resource potential evaluation of gas hydrate in core fractures in Qilian Mountain permafrost area, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
title_short Growth behavior and resource potential evaluation of gas hydrate in core fractures in Qilian Mountain permafrost area, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
title_sort growth behavior and resource potential evaluation of gas hydrate in core fractures in qilian mountain permafrost area qinghai tibet plateau
topic Gas hydrate
Growth behavior
Core fracture
Rock Quality Designation
Resource potential evaluation
Engineering
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2096519223013927
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