New insights into the deposition of natural gas hydrate on pipeline surfaces:A molecular dynamics simulation study

Natural gas hydrate(NGH)can cause pipeline blockages during the transportation of oil and gas under high pressures and low temperatures.Reducing hydrate adhesion on pipelines is viewed as an efficient way to prevent NGH blockages.Previous studies suggested the water film can greatly increase hydrate adhesion in gas-dominant system.Herein,by performing the molecular dynamics simulations,we find in water-dominant system,the water film plays different roles in hydrate deposition on Fe and its corrosion surfaces.Specifically,due to the strong affinity of water on Fe surface,the deposited hydrate cannot convert the adsorbed water into hydrate,thus,a water film exists.As water affinities decrease(Fe>Fe_(2)O_(3)>FeO>Fe_(3)O_(4)),adsorbed water would convert to amorphous hydrate on Fe_(2)O_(3)and form the ordered hydrate on FeO and Fe_(3)O_(4)after hydrate deposition.While absorbed water film converts to amorphous or to hydrate,the adhesion strength of hydrate continuously increases(Fe<Fe_(2)O_(3)<FeO<Fe_(3)O_(4)).This is because the detachment of deposited hydrate prefers to occur at soft region of liquid layer,the process of which becomes harder as liquid layer vanishes.As a result,contrary to gas-dominant system,the water film plays the weakening roles on hydrate adhesion in water-dominant system.Overall,our results can help to better understand the hydrate deposition mechanisms on Fe and its corrosion surfaces and suggest hydrate deposition can be adjusted by changing water affinities on pipeline surfaces.

Analysis of sensitivity to hydrate blockage risk in natural gas gathering pipeline

During the operational process of natural gas gathering and transmission pipelines,the formation of hydrates is highly probable,leading to uncontrolled movement and aggregation of hydrates.The continuous migration and accumulation of hydrates further contribute to the obstruction of natural gas pipelines,resulting in production reduction,shutdowns,and pressure build-ups.Consequently,a cascade of risks is prone to occur.To address this issue,this study focuses on the operational process of natural gas gathering and transmission pipelines,where a comprehensive framework is established.This framework includes theoretical models for pipeline temperature distribution,pipeline pressure distribution,multiphase flow within the pipeline,hydrate blockage,and numerical solution methods.By analyzing the influence of inlet temperature,inlet pressure,and terminal pressure on hydrate formation within the pipeline,the sensitivity patterns of hydrate blockage risks are derived.The research indicates that reducing inlet pressure and terminal pressure could lead to a decreased maximum hydrate formation rate,potentially mitigating pipeline blockage during natural gas transportation.Furthermore,an increase in inlet temperature and terminal pressure,and a decrease in inlet pressure,results in a displacement of the most probable location for hydrate blockage towards the terminal station.However,it is crucial to note that operating under low-pressure conditions significantly elevates energy consumption within the gathering system,contradicting the operational goal of energy efficiency and reduction of energy consumption.Consequently,for high-pressure gathering pipelines,measures such as raising the inlet temperature or employing inhibitors,electrical heat tracing,and thermal insulation should be adopted to prevent hydrate formation during natural gas transportation.Moreover,considering abnormal conditions such as gas well production and pipeline network shutdowns,which could potentially trigger hydrate formation,the installation of methanol injection connectors remains necessary to ensure production safety.

Development,challenges and strategies of natural gas industry under carbon neutral target in China

In the mid-21st century,natural gas will enter its golden age,and the era of natural gas is arriving.This paper reviews the development stages of global natural gas industry and the enlightenment of American shale gas revolution,summarizes the development history and achievements of the natural gas industry in China,analyzes the status and challenges of natural gas in the green and low-carbon energy transition,and puts forward the natural gas industry development strategies under carbon neutral target in China.The natural gas industry in China has experienced three periods:start,growth,and leap forward.At present,China has become the fourth largest natural gas producer and third largest natural gas consumer in the world,and has made great achievements in natural gas exploration and development theory and technology,providing important support for the growth of production and reserves.China has set its goal of carbon neutrality to promote green and sustainable development,which brings opportunities and challenges for natural gas industry.Natural gas has significant low-carbon advantages,and gas-electric peak shaving boosts new energy development;the difficulty and cost of development are more prominent.For the national energy security and harmonious development between economy and ecology under the carbon neutral goal,based on the principle of"comprehensive planning,technological innovation,multi-energy complementarity,diversified integration,flexibility and efficiency,optimization and upgrading",the construction of the production-supplystorage-marketing system has to be improved so as to boost the development of the natural gas industry.First,it is necessary to strengthen efforts in the exploration and development of natural gas,making projects and arrangement in key exploration and development areas,meanwhile,it is urgent to make breakthroughs in key science theories and technologies,so as to increase reserve and production.Second,it should promote green and innovative development of the natural gas by developing new techniques,expanding new fields and integrating with new energy.Third,there is a demand to realize transformation and upgrading of the supply and demand structure of natural gas by strengthening the layout of pipeline gas,liquefied natural gas and the construction of underground gas storage,establishing reserve system for improving abilities of emergency response and adjustment,raising the proportion of natural gas in the primary energy consumption and contributing to the transformation of energy consumption structure,realizing low-carbon resources utilization and clean energy consumption.

Tracing of natural gas migration by light hydrocarbons:A case study of the Dongsheng gas field in the Ordos Basin,NW China

Based on the analysis of light hydrocarbon compositions of natural gas and regional comparison in combination with the chemical components and carbon isotopic compositions of methane,the indication of geochemical characteristics of light hydrocarbons on the migration features,dissolution and escape of natural gas from the Dongsheng gas field in the Ordos Basin is revealed,and the effect of migration on specific light hydrocarbon indexes is further discussed.The study indicates that,natural gas from the Lower Shihezi Formation(Pix)in the Dongsheng gas field displays higher iso-C5-7contents than n-C5-7contents,and the C6-7light hydrocarbons are composed of paraffins with extremely low aromatic contents(<0.4%),whereas the C7light hydrocarbons are dominated by methylcyclohexane,suggesting the characteristics of coal-derived gas with the influence by secondary alterations such as dissolution.The natural gas from the Dongsheng gas field has experienced free-phase migration from south to north and different degrees of dissolution after charging,and the gas in the Shiguhao area to the north of the Borjianghaizi fault has experienced apparent diffusion loss after accumulation.Long-distance migration in free phase results in the decrease of the relative contents of the methylcyclohexane in C7 light hydrocarbons and the toluene/n-heptane ratio,as well as the increase of the n-heptane/methylcyclohexane ratio and heptane values.The dissolution causes the increase of isoheptane values of the light hydrocarbons,whereas the diffusion loss of natural gas in the Shiguhao area results in the increase of n-C5-7contents compared to the iso-C5-7contents.

Numerical Investigation of Combined Production of Natural Gas Hydrate and Conventional Gas

Natural gas hydrate(NGH)is generally produced and accumulated together with the underlying conventional gas.Therefore,optimizing the production technology of these two gases should be seen as a relevant way to effectively reduce the exploitation cost of the gas hydrate.In this study,three types of models accounting for the coexistence of these gases are considered.Type A considers the upper hydrate-bearing layer(HBL)adjacent to the lower conventional gas layer(CGL);with the Type B a permeable interlayer exists between the upper HBL and the lower CGL;with the type C there is an impermeable interlayer between the upper HBL and the lower CGL.The production performances associated with the above three models are calculated under different conditions,including only a depressurized HBL(only HBL DP);only a depressurized CGL(only CGL DP);and both the HBL and the CGL being depressurized(HBL+CGL DP).The results show that for Type A and Type B coexistence accumulation models,when only HBL or CGL is depressurized,the gas from the other layer will flow into the production layer due to the pressure difference between the two layers.In the coexistence accumulation model of type C,the cumulative gas production is much lower than that of Type A and Type B,regardless of whether only HBL DP,only CGL DP,or HBL+CGL DP are considered.This indicates that the impermeable interlayer restricts the cross-flow of gas between HBL and CGL.For three different coexistence accumulation models,CGL DP has the largest gas-to-water ratio.

Origin of condensate oil and natural gas in Bozhong 19-6 gas field,Bohai Bay Basin

The discovery of the Bozhong 19-6 gas field has opened a new frontier for deep gas exploration in the Bohai Bay Basin,with a great potential for further gas exploration.However,poor understanding of oil and gas origin has been limiting the exploration progress in this area.To clarify the origin of condensate oil and gas in Bozhong 19-6 gas field,this study adequately utilized the organic geochemical analysis data to investigate the composition and geochemical characteristics of condensate oil and natural gas,and analyzed the relationship between condensate oil and the three sets of source rocks in the nearby subsags.Results show that the lighter components dominate the condensate oil,with a forward type predominance.The parent material of crude oil was primarily deposited in a shallow,clay-rich,low-salinity,weakly reducing aquatic environment.The condensate and natural gas have similar parent source characteristics and maturity,with Ro ranging from 1.4%to 1.6%.Both are products of high maturity stage,indicating that they are hydrocarbon compounds produced by the same group of source rocks in the same stage.Oil-sources correlation shows that condensate oil and gas mainly originate from the source rocks of the third member of Shahejie Formation in the nearby subsags of the Bozhong 19-6 structural belt.

Numerical Simulation of Asphaltene Precipitation and Deposition during Natural Gas and CO_(2) Injection

Asphaltene deposition is a significant problem during gas injection processes,as it can block the porous medium,the wellbore,and the involved facilities,significantly impacting reservoir productivity and ultimate oil recovery.Only a few studies have investigated the numerical modeling of this potential effect in porous media.This study focuses on asphaltene deposition due to natural gas and CO_(2) injection.Predictions of the effect of gas injection on asphaltene deposition behavior have been made using a 3D numerical simulation model.The results indicate that the injection of natural gas exacerbates asphaltene deposition,leading to a significant reduction in permeability near the injection well and throughout the reservoir.This reduction in permeability strongly affects the ability of gas toflow through the reservoir,resulting in an improvement of the displacement front.The displacement effi-ciency of the injection gas process increases by up to 1.40%when gas is injected at 5500 psi,compared to the scenario where the asphaltene model is not considered.CO_(2) injection leads to a miscible process with crude oil,extracting light and intermediate components,which intensifies asphaltene precipitation and increases the viscosity of the remaining crude oil,ultimately reducing the recovery rate.

Impact Damage Testing Study of Shanxi-Beijing Natural Gas Pipeline Based on Decision Tree Rotary Tiller Operation

The North China Plain and the agricultural region are crossed by the Shanxi-Beijing natural gas pipeline.Resi-dents in the area use rototillers for planting and harvesting;however,the depth of the rototillers into the ground is greater than the depth of the pipeline,posing a significant threat to the safe operation of the pipeline.Therefore,it is of great significance to study the dynamic response of rotary tillers impacting pipelines to ensure the safe opera-tion of pipelines.This article focuses on the Shanxi-Beijing natural gas pipeline,utilizingfinite element simulation software to establish afinite element model for the interaction among the machinery,pipeline,and soil,and ana-lyzing the dynamic response of the pipeline.At the same time,a decision tree model is introduced to classify the damage of pipelines under different working conditions,and the boundary value and importance of each influen-cing factor on pipeline damage are derived.Considering the actual conditions in the hemp yam planting area,targeted management measures have been proposed to ensure the operational safety of the Shanxi-Beijing natural gas pipeline in this region.

Numerical Simulation of Liquified Natural Gas Boiling Heat Transfer Characteristics in Helically Coiled Tube-in-Tube Heat Exchangers

Helically coiled tube-in-tube(HCTT)heat exchangers are widely applied to the process technology because of their compactness and higher heat transfer efficiency.HCTT heat exchangers play an important role in liquified natural gas(LNG)use and cold energy recovery.The heat transfer characteristics,pressure distribution,and degree of vaporization of LNG in HCTT heat exchangers are numerically investigated.By comparing the simulation results of the computational model with existing experimental results,the effectiveness of the computational model is verified.The numerical simulation results show the vapor volume fraction of the HCTT heat exchanger is related to the inlet Reynolds number,inner tube diameters,and helix diameter.The vapor volume fraction increases rapidly from the fourth to the seventh equal division points of the helix tube length.On condition that the inlet Reynolds number is greater than 33500,the pressure drop rate gradually increases.When the magnitude of the vapor volume fraction is below 0.2,the heat transfer coefficient increase rate is greater than that when the vapor volume fraction is above 0.2.The heat exchange efficiency of HCTT heat exchangers increases with the decrease of the ratio of helix diameter to inner tube diameter.

Green Hydrogen: Perspectives and Challenges in Using the Natural Gas Network in Ceará/Brazil

Climate change, mainly caused by the use of non-renewable fuels, has raised global concerns and led to the search for less polluting energy sources, making hydrogen a promising energy alternative with the potential to contribute to changes in the energy mix of various countries through the use of technologies that enable its production and use with low or zero carbon emissions. In this context, Brazil has aroused great interest from other countries in exploring its renewable resources for the production of hydrogen (green hydrogen). In this sense, the use of natural gas pipelines and the use of hydrogen in mixtures with natural gas have become the subject of studies due to their economically viable alternative for the immediate use of this energy vector. However, there are still technical and regulatory challenges regarding the integration of hydrogen into the existing natural gas pipeline network. In this context, the present study aims to address the effects of hydrogen interaction with the structure of natural gas pipeline steel and the regulatory barriers to the use of this network for the transportation of green hydrogen, particularly in the state of Ceará/Brazil. After extensive analysis of literature and regulatory documents, it was concluded that: 1) Ceará/Brazil has strong potential to meet the demand for green hydrogen through the use of solar and wind energy sources;2) there is feasibility for the adaptation or conversion of natural gas infrastructure for the transportation of green hydrogen;3) discussions regarding the regulatory competence of green hydrogen transportation and distribution through the natural gas network in Brazil are still incipient;4) the current regulation of the natural gas industry can serve as a subsidy for the regulation of green hydrogen and natural gas transportation.

Forecast of natural gas supply and demand in China under the background of “Dual Carbon Targets”

As a kind of clean energy which creates little carbon dioxide, natural gas will play a key role in the process of achieving “Peak Carbon Dioxide Emission” and “Carbon Neutrality”. The Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning System(LEAP) model was improved by using new parameters including comprehensive energy efficiency and terminal effective energy consumption. The Back Propagation(BP) Neural Network–LEAP model was proposed to predict key data such as total primary energy consumption, energy mix, carbon emissions from energy consumption, and natural gas consumption in China. Moreover, natural gas production in China was forecasted by the production composition method. Finally, based on the forecast results of natural gas supply and demand, suggestions were put forward on the development of China’s natural gas industry under the background of “Dual Carbon Targets”. The research results indicate that under the background of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, China’s primary energy consumption will peak(59.4×10^(8)tce) around 2035, carbon emissions from energy consumption will peak(103.4×10^(8)t) by 2025, and natural gas consumption will peak(6100×10^(8)m^(3)) around 2040, of which the largest increase will be contributed by the power sector and industrial sector. China’s peak natural gas production is about(2800–3400)×10^(8)m^(3), including(2100–2300)×10^(8)m^(3)conventional gas(including tight gas),(600–1050)×10^(8)m^(3)shale gas, and(150–220)×10^(8)m^(3)coalbed methane. Under the background of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, the natural gas consumption and production of China will further increase, showing a great potential of the natural gas industry.

Feasibility Analysis of Typical Cryogenic Processes for Hydrogen-Mixed Natural Gas Separation

Hydrogen energy is a crucial carrier for the growth of the energy system and its low-carbon transformation.Using natural gas as a carrier of hydrogen transport and the natural gas pipeline network for transportation is a significant step toward realizing large-scale and long-distance hydrogen transport.Hydrogen-mixed natural gas is mainly separated into hydrogen and natural gas by physical methods at present.High purity of hydrogen recovery,but the recovery rate is low.At the same time,compared with natural gas,liquefied natural gas is more economical and flexible.This study analyzes three typical cryogenic separation processes.The results show that the hydrogen separation efficiency and specific energy consumption increase and the liquefaction rate and energy consumption decrease as the hydrogen ratio increases.The energy consumption and specific energy consumption of C3-MRC are lower than the MRC and the cascade liquefaction processes.Besides,as the pressure increases in the C3-MRC liquefaction process,the liquefaction and hydrogen separation efficiency increase and subsequently drop.Different hydrogen content has the highest hydrogen separation efficiency and liquefaction efficiency under different feed gas pressure conditions.The total exergy losses of the C3-MRC are the least in different hydrogen fractions,which are 37.59%and 21.77%less in the 25%hydrogen fraction,and 37.89%and 21.37%less in the 30%hydrogen fraction.Moreover,the exergy efficiency of C3-MRC are 87.68%and 88.06%when the hydrogen fraction are 25%and 30%,higher than the other two processes,which implies that in 25%and 30%fractions,making it more suitable for separate the hydrogen by the cryogenic separation.

Experimental study on solid particle migration and production behaviors during marine natural gas hydrate dissociation by depressurization

Sand production is one of the main obstacles restricting gas extraction efficiency and safety from marine natural gas hydrate(NGH)reservoirs.Particle migration within the NGH reservoir dominates sand production behaviors,while their relationships were rarely reported,severely constrains quantitative evaluation of sand production risks.This paper reports the optical observations of solid particle migration and production from micrometer to mesoscopic scales conditioned to gravel packing during depressurization-induced NGH dissociation for the first time.Theoretical evolutionary modes of sand migration are established based on experimental observations,and its implications on field NGH are comprehensively discussed.Five particle migration regimes of local borehole failure,continuous collapse,wormhole expansion,extensive slow deformation,and pore-wall fluidization are proved to occur during depressurization.The types of particle migration regimes and their transmission modes during depressurization are predominantly determined by initial hydrate saturation.In contrast,the depressurization mainly dominates the transmission rate of the particle migration regimes.Furthermore,both the cumulative mass and the medium grain size of the produced sand decrease linearly with increasing initial methane hydrate(MH)saturation.Discontinuous gas bubble emission,expansion,and explosion during MH dissociation delay sand migration into the wellbore.At the same time,continuous water flow is a requirement for sand production during hydrate dissociation by depressurization.The experiments enlighten us that a constitutive model that can illustrate visible particle migration regimes and their transmission modes is urgently needed to bridge numerical simulation and field applications.Optimizing wellbore layout positions or special reservoir treatment shall be important for mitigating sand production tendency during NGH exploitation.

Natural gas characteristics and gas-source comparisons of the Lower Triassic Feixianguan Formation,Eastern Sichuan Basin,China

There is great controversy regarding the origin and source of natural gas in the Lower Triassic Feix-ianguan Formation in the Eastern Sichuan Basin.This seriously restricts the study of natural gas dy-namics in the Feixianguan Formation and thus hampers natural gas exploration in the region,so further study is urgently required.Using experimental tests of natural gas composition,stable isotopes,and noble gas isotopes with gas chromatography(GC)and mass spectrometry(MS)studies of source rock and reservoir asphalt saturated hydrocarbons,the natural gas geochemical characteristics,the genetic identification and a gas-source comparison of the Feixianguan Formation were studied.Then,con-strained by the thermal history,the histories of gas generation and expulsion were restored by basin simulation technology.Finally,a gas accumulation model was established for the Feixianguan Formation.The results showed that(1)the H_(2)S-rich and H2S-poor gas reservoirs of the Feixianguan Formation are distributed on the east and west sides of the Kaijiang-Liangping trough in the Eastern Sichuan Basin,respectively.The carbon and hydrogen isotope compositions of the natural gas in the gas reservoirs are generally heavy and have typical characteristics of high-maturity dry gas reservoirs.(2)The natural gas of the Feixianguan Formation is organic thermogenic gas,which is mainly oil-type gas generated by the secondary cracking of crude oil.The gas-generating parent material is mainly type II kerogen.(3)The natural gas of the Feixianguan Formation in the Eastern Sichuan Basin was mainly generated by argil-laceous source rocks of the Upper Permian Longtan Formation.(4)Natural gas accumulation occurred as follows:the paleo-structure heights were filled with crude oil in the Early Jurassic,and paleo-oil res-ervoirs were formed in the Feixianguan Formation;during the Middle-Late Jurassic,the paleo-oil res-ervoirs were cracked when the reservoir temperatures rose above 160 C,and paleo-gas reservoirs were formed.Since the end of the Late Jurassic,the paleo-gas reservoirs have been adjusted and reformed to form the present-day natural gas reservoirs.These results provide a basis for studying natural gas accumulation dynamics of the Feixianguan Formation in the Eastern Sichuan Basin.

Are Ni/and Ni5Fe1/biochar catalysts suitable for synthetic natural gas production?A comparison with g-Al2O3 supported catalysts

Among challenges implicit in the transition to the post-fossil fuel energetic model,the finite amount of resources available for the technological implementation of CO_(2) revalorizing processes arises as a central issue.The development of fully renewable catalytic systems with easier metal recovery strategies would promote the viability and sustainability of synthetic natural gas production circular routes.Taking Ni and NiFe catalysts supported over g-Al_(2)O_(3) oxide as reference materials,this work evaluates the potentiality of Ni and NiFe supported biochar catalysts for CO_(2) methanation.The development of competitive biochar catalysts was found dependent on the creation of basic sites on the catalyst surface.Displaying lower Turn Over Frequencies than Ni/Al catalyst,the absence of basic sites achieved over Ni/C catalyst was related to the depleted catalyst performances.For NiFe catalysts,analogous Ni_(5)Fe_(1) alloys were constituted over both alumina and biochar supports.The highest specific activity of the catalyst series,exhibited by the NiFe/C catalyst,was related to the development of surface basic sites along with weaker NiFe-C interactions,which resulted in increased Ni0:NiO surface populations under reaction conditions.In summary,the present work establishes biochar supports as a competitive material to consider within the future low-carbon energetic panorama.

A theoretical insight about co-pyrolysis reaction of natural gas and coal

The co-pyrolysis of natural gas and coal is a promising way for the production of acetylene due to its high efficiency for energy and hydrogen utilization.This work investigated the thermodynamics for the copyrolysis reaction of natural gas and coal using density functional theory.The favorable reaction conditions are presented in the form of phase diagrams.The calculation results show that the extra amount of methane may benefit the production of acetylene in the co-pyrolysis reaction,and the C/H ratio of 1:1,temperature around 3000 K and pressure at 0.1 MPa are most favorable.The results would provide basic data for related industrial process for the production of acetylene.

The calculation and optimal allocation of transmission capacity in natural gas networks with MINLP models

The transmission capacity of gas pipeline networks should be calculated and allocated to deal with the capacity booking with shippers. Technical capacities, which depend on the gas flow distribution at routes or interchange points, are calculated with a multiobjective optimization model and form a Pareto solution set in the entry/exit or point-to-point regime. Then, the commercial capacities, which can be directly applied in capacity booking, are calculated with single-objective optimization models that are transformed from the above multiobjective model based on three allocation rules and the demand of shippers.Next, peak-shaving capacities, which are daily oversupply or overdelivery amounts at inlets or deliveries,are calculated with two-stage transient optimization models. Considering the hydraulic process of a pipeline network and operating schemes of compressor stations, all the above models are mixed-integer nonlinear programming problems. Finally, a case study is made to demonstrate the ability of the models.

Origin of a giant fuzzy reflection zone and its implication for natural gas exploration in the southwestern Qiongdongnan Basin of the South China Sea

The southwestern depression of the Qiongdongnan Basin(QDNB)hosts thick Cenozoic sediments and awaits major hydrocarbon discovery.Multichannel seismic(MCS)profile CFT2011 across the southwestern QDNB reveals a~60-km-wide fuzzy reflection zone(FRZ)within the sediments,but its origin and distribution remain unclear.Here ocean bottom seismometer(OBS)data of Line CFT2011 are processed with focus on the velocity structures by traveltime tomography inversion and analyzed together with the coincident and adjacent MCS profiles.The OBS velocity results show that the giant FRZ features lower velocity with difference up to 1.5 km/s and smaller vertical velocity gradient than the surrounding sedimentary sequences at the same depth,likely resulting from enhanced fluid infilling.The MCS profile exhibits that the giant FRZ is about 3-9-km thick and extends from the Paleogene strata rich in organic matters upward to the lower Pleistocene sediments.Within the shallow overlying sediments,multiple bright spots with reverse polarity are imaged and their reflection amplitudes increase with offset,consistent with the features of gas-charged sediments.They are probably shallow gas reservoirs with gases sourced from the deep FRZ.Therefore,the FRZ is proposed to be a giant gas-charged zone,which probably contains lots of hydrocarbon gases migrated vertically from the deep Paleogene source rocks through the boundary faults of the depressions and the minor fractures generated under overpressure.This FRZ is also imaged on the adjacent MCS profiles MCS-L1 and MCS-L2 with the width of about 40 km and 68 km,respectively.It is roughly estimated to cover an area of~1900 km2 and host a volume of~11400 km3 assuming an average thickness of 6 km,implying huge natural gas potential in the sedimentary depression of the southwestern QDNB of the South China Sea.

Application of the monitoring and early warning system for internal solitary waves:Take the second natural gas hydrates production test in the South China Sea as an example

Internal solitary waves(ISWs) contain great energy and have the characteristics of emergency and concealment. To avoid their damage to offshore engineering, a new generation of monitoring and early warning system for ISWs was developed using technologies of double buoys monitoring, intelligent realtime data transmission, and automatic software identification. The system was applied to the second natural gas hydrates(NGHs) production test in the Shenhu Area, South China Sea(SCS) and successfully provided the early warning of ISWs for 173 days(from October 2019 to April 2020). The abrupt changes in the thrust force of the drilling platform under the attack of ISWs were consistent with the early warning information, proving the reliability of this system. A total of 93 ISWs were detected around the drilling platform. Most of them occurred during the spring tides in October–December 2019 and April 2020, while few of them occurred in winter. As suggested by the theoretical model, the full-depth structure of ISWs was a typical current profile of mode-1, and the velocities of wave-induced currents can reach 80 cm/s and30 cm/s, respectively, in the upper ocean and near the seabed. The ISWs may be primarily generated from the interactions between the topography and semidiurnal tides in the Luzon Strait, and then propagate westward to the drilling platform. This study could serve as an important reference for the early warning of ISWs for offshore engineering construction in the future.

Enhanced recovery of tight reservoirs after fracturing by natural gas huff-n-puff: Underlying mechanisms and influential factors

Tight oil resources are abundant in the world.It is very important to strengthen the research on the development theory and technology of tight oil reservoirs for ensuring national energy security.Natural gas huff-n-puff can effectively improve the oil recovery of tight oil reservoirs.However,the pore-scale oil production characteristics and the mechanisms of natural gas huff-n-puff in matrix-fracture cores are poorly understood.The influence degree of important factors on oil recovery is not clear and the interactions between factors are rarely considered.In this paper,the oil production characteristics and mechanisms of natural gas huff-n-puff in tight cores with different fracture lengths were quantitatively analyzed by combining nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)with numerical simulation technology.The influencing factors and their interactions were evaluated by the response surface method(RSM).The results show that tight cores mainly consist of medium pores(0.1–1μm)and small pores(0.01–0.1μm).The fracture mainly increases the proportion of macro-pores(1–10μm)and medium pores.In the natural gas huff-n-puff process,crude oil from macro-pores(1–10μm)and medium pores is mainly developed,and the contribution percentage of crude oil in medium pores to oil recovery is the largest,up to 98.28%.The position of gas–oil contact(GOC)moves deeper as the number of huff-n-puff cycles increases.The contents of CH_(4) and CO_(2) in the oil phase remain at a high level within the GOC,while between the GOC and the component sweep front,the contents of CH_(4) and CO_(2) in the oil phase decrease with the increase in dimensionless distance.The gas component sweep volume is increasing with the increase in fracture length.Moreover,the injected natural gas mainly extracts C_(3)–C_(10) components from crude oil.The reduction law of crude oil viscosity is consistent with the migration laws of CH_(4) components along the path.Compared with soaking time and gas diffusion coefficient,the injection pressure is the most significant factor underlying the recovery of natural gas huff-n-puff in tight cores.Besides the influence of single-factor,the interaction effects of gas injection pressure and diffusion also should be considered to determine the huff-n-puff parameters in the field implementation of natural gas huff-n-puff in tight reservoirs after fracturing.