Numerical Simulation of the Depressurization Process of a Natural Gas Hydrate Reservoir: An Attempt at Optimization of Field Operational Factors with Multiple Wells in a Real 3D Geological Model

Natural gas hydrates, crystalline solids whose gas molecules are so compressed that they are denser than a typical fluid hydrocarbon, have extensive applications in the areas of climate change and the energy crisis. The hydrate deposit located in the Shenhu Area on the continental slope of the South...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zhixue Sun, Ying Xin, Qiang Sun, Ruolong Ma, Jianguang Zhang, Shuhuan Lv, Mingyu Cai, Haoxuan Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2016-09-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/9/9/714
_version_ 1828138856990375936
author Zhixue Sun
Ying Xin
Qiang Sun
Ruolong Ma
Jianguang Zhang
Shuhuan Lv
Mingyu Cai
Haoxuan Wang
author_facet Zhixue Sun
Ying Xin
Qiang Sun
Ruolong Ma
Jianguang Zhang
Shuhuan Lv
Mingyu Cai
Haoxuan Wang
author_sort Zhixue Sun
collection DOAJ
description Natural gas hydrates, crystalline solids whose gas molecules are so compressed that they are denser than a typical fluid hydrocarbon, have extensive applications in the areas of climate change and the energy crisis. The hydrate deposit located in the Shenhu Area on the continental slope of the South China Sea is regarded as the most promising target for gas hydrate exploration in China. Samples taken at drilling site SH2 have indicated a high abundance of methane hydrate reserves in clay sediments. In the last few decades, with its relatively low energy cost, the depressurization gas recovery method has been generally regarded as technically feasible and the most promising one. For the purpose of a better acquaintance with the feasible field operational factors and processes which control the production behavior of a real 3D geological CH4-hydrate deposit, it is urgent to figure out the effects of the parameters such as well type, well spacing, bottom hole pressure, and perforation intervals on methane recovery. One years’ numerical simulation results show that under the condition of 3000 kPa constant bottom hole pressure, 1000 m well spacing, perforation in higher intervals and with one horizontal well, the daily peak gas rate can reach 4325.02 m3 and the cumulative gas volume is 1.291 × 106 m3. What’s more, some new knowledge and its explanation of the curve tendency and evolution for the production process are provided. Technically, one factor at a time design (OFAT) and an orthogonal design were used in the simulation to investigate which factors dominate the productivity ability and which is the most sensitive one. The results indicated that the order of effects of the factors on gas yield was perforation interval > bottom hole pressure > well spacing.
first_indexed 2024-04-11T18:42:49Z
format Article
id doaj.art-36e260d774c144489fab42bab9f7f425
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1996-1073
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-11T18:42:49Z
publishDate 2016-09-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Energies
spelling doaj.art-36e260d774c144489fab42bab9f7f4252022-12-22T04:08:56ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732016-09-019971410.3390/en9090714en9090714Numerical Simulation of the Depressurization Process of a Natural Gas Hydrate Reservoir: An Attempt at Optimization of Field Operational Factors with Multiple Wells in a Real 3D Geological ModelZhixue Sun0Ying Xin1Qiang Sun2Ruolong Ma3Jianguang Zhang4Shuhuan Lv5Mingyu Cai6Haoxuan Wang7School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, ChinaCollege of Energy Resources, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, ChinaNatural gas hydrates, crystalline solids whose gas molecules are so compressed that they are denser than a typical fluid hydrocarbon, have extensive applications in the areas of climate change and the energy crisis. The hydrate deposit located in the Shenhu Area on the continental slope of the South China Sea is regarded as the most promising target for gas hydrate exploration in China. Samples taken at drilling site SH2 have indicated a high abundance of methane hydrate reserves in clay sediments. In the last few decades, with its relatively low energy cost, the depressurization gas recovery method has been generally regarded as technically feasible and the most promising one. For the purpose of a better acquaintance with the feasible field operational factors and processes which control the production behavior of a real 3D geological CH4-hydrate deposit, it is urgent to figure out the effects of the parameters such as well type, well spacing, bottom hole pressure, and perforation intervals on methane recovery. One years’ numerical simulation results show that under the condition of 3000 kPa constant bottom hole pressure, 1000 m well spacing, perforation in higher intervals and with one horizontal well, the daily peak gas rate can reach 4325.02 m3 and the cumulative gas volume is 1.291 × 106 m3. What’s more, some new knowledge and its explanation of the curve tendency and evolution for the production process are provided. Technically, one factor at a time design (OFAT) and an orthogonal design were used in the simulation to investigate which factors dominate the productivity ability and which is the most sensitive one. The results indicated that the order of effects of the factors on gas yield was perforation interval > bottom hole pressure > well spacing.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/9/9/714gas hydrategeological modelsimulationdepressurization methodShenhu Area
spellingShingle Zhixue Sun
Ying Xin
Qiang Sun
Ruolong Ma
Jianguang Zhang
Shuhuan Lv
Mingyu Cai
Haoxuan Wang
Numerical Simulation of the Depressurization Process of a Natural Gas Hydrate Reservoir: An Attempt at Optimization of Field Operational Factors with Multiple Wells in a Real 3D Geological Model
Energies
gas hydrate
geological model
simulation
depressurization method
Shenhu Area
title Numerical Simulation of the Depressurization Process of a Natural Gas Hydrate Reservoir: An Attempt at Optimization of Field Operational Factors with Multiple Wells in a Real 3D Geological Model
title_full Numerical Simulation of the Depressurization Process of a Natural Gas Hydrate Reservoir: An Attempt at Optimization of Field Operational Factors with Multiple Wells in a Real 3D Geological Model
title_fullStr Numerical Simulation of the Depressurization Process of a Natural Gas Hydrate Reservoir: An Attempt at Optimization of Field Operational Factors with Multiple Wells in a Real 3D Geological Model
title_full_unstemmed Numerical Simulation of the Depressurization Process of a Natural Gas Hydrate Reservoir: An Attempt at Optimization of Field Operational Factors with Multiple Wells in a Real 3D Geological Model
title_short Numerical Simulation of the Depressurization Process of a Natural Gas Hydrate Reservoir: An Attempt at Optimization of Field Operational Factors with Multiple Wells in a Real 3D Geological Model
title_sort numerical simulation of the depressurization process of a natural gas hydrate reservoir an attempt at optimization of field operational factors with multiple wells in a real 3d geological model
topic gas hydrate
geological model
simulation
depressurization method
Shenhu Area
url http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/9/9/714
work_keys_str_mv AT zhixuesun numericalsimulationofthedepressurizationprocessofanaturalgashydratereservoiranattemptatoptimizationoffieldoperationalfactorswithmultiplewellsinareal3dgeologicalmodel
AT yingxin numericalsimulationofthedepressurizationprocessofanaturalgashydratereservoiranattemptatoptimizationoffieldoperationalfactorswithmultiplewellsinareal3dgeologicalmodel
AT qiangsun numericalsimulationofthedepressurizationprocessofanaturalgashydratereservoiranattemptatoptimizationoffieldoperationalfactorswithmultiplewellsinareal3dgeologicalmodel
AT ruolongma numericalsimulationofthedepressurizationprocessofanaturalgashydratereservoiranattemptatoptimizationoffieldoperationalfactorswithmultiplewellsinareal3dgeologicalmodel
AT jianguangzhang numericalsimulationofthedepressurizationprocessofanaturalgashydratereservoiranattemptatoptimizationoffieldoperationalfactorswithmultiplewellsinareal3dgeologicalmodel
AT shuhuanlv numericalsimulationofthedepressurizationprocessofanaturalgashydratereservoiranattemptatoptimizationoffieldoperationalfactorswithmultiplewellsinareal3dgeologicalmodel
AT mingyucai numericalsimulationofthedepressurizationprocessofanaturalgashydratereservoiranattemptatoptimizationoffieldoperationalfactorswithmultiplewellsinareal3dgeologicalmodel
AT haoxuanwang numericalsimulationofthedepressurizationprocessofanaturalgashydratereservoiranattemptatoptimizationoffieldoperationalfactorswithmultiplewellsinareal3dgeologicalmodel