Research on methane hydrate formation in porous media with gas–water two-phase flow

Abstract

The study of hydrate formation in porous media is crucial for the efficient production of natural gas hydrate. Current research on gas hydrate formation in porous media has primarily focused on the static state. A prediction model of hydrate formation under the condition of gas–water two-phase flow was established by combining the heat transfer and gas–water two-phase flow mechanisms in porous media. Methane hydrate formation in quartz sand was experimentally investigated under a gas–water two-phase flow. The results revealed an obvious pressure difference with hydrate formation at different positions; the pressure difference increased with time, which can be used as an important basis to assess the distribution of flow obstacles in porous media. COMSOL Multiphysics was used to solve the proposed model, and the accuracy of the model prediction results was verified using the experimental data. Further, the hydrate formation process and evolution law in the experiment were simulated and inverted. Flow parameters, such as pressure, hydrate saturation, and water saturation, presumably exhibit non-uniform distributions with the formation of hydrates in porous media. The longer the time, the more distinct the non-uniform distribution of the aforementioned parameters and the higher the risk of flow obstacles in porous media. This study provides an important theoretical basis for the efficient development of natural gas hydrate in the future.