scholarly journals Non-Embedded Ultrasonic Detection for Pressure Cores of Natural Methane Hydrate-Bearing Sediments

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1997
Author(s):  
Xingbo Li ◽  
Yu Liu ◽  
Hanquan Zhang ◽  
Bo Xiao ◽  
Xin Lv ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wave Velocity ◽  
Water Saturation ◽  
Hydrate Formation ◽  
Compressional Wave ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Ultrasonic Detection ◽  
Initial Water ◽  
P Wave Velocity ◽  
Hydrate Saturation

An apparatus for the analysis of pressure cores containing gas hydrates at in situ pressures was designed, and a series of experiments to determine the compressional wave response of hydrate-bearing sands were performed systematically in the laboratory. Considering the difficulties encountered in performing valid laboratory tests and in recovering intact hydrate bearing sediment samples, the laboratory approach enabled closer study than the marine environment due to sample recovery problems. The apparatus was designed to achieve in situ hydrate formation in bearing sediments and synchronous ultrasonic detection. The P-wave velocity measurements enabled quick and successive ultrasonic analysis of pressure cores. The factors influencing P-wave velocity (Vp), including hydrate saturation and formation methodology, were investigated. By controlling the initial water saturation and gas pressure, we conducted separate experiments for different hydrate saturation values ranging from 2% to 60%. The measured P-wave velocity varied from less than 1700 m/s to more than 3100 m/s in this saturation range. The hydrate saturation can be successfully predicted by a linear fitting of the attenuation (Q−1) to the hydrate saturation. This approach provided a new method for acoustic measurement of the hydrate saturation when the arrival time of the first wave cannot be directly distinguished. Our results demonstrated that the specially designed non-embedded ultrasonic detection apparatus could determine the hydrate saturation and occurrence patterns in pressure cores, which could assist further hydrate resource exploration and detailed core analyses.

scholarly journals Laboratory observations of frequency-dependent ultrasonic P-wave velocity and attenuation during methane hydrate formation in Berea sandstone

2019 ◽  
Vol 219 (1) ◽  
pp. 713-723 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sourav K Sahoo ◽  
Laurence J North ◽  
Hector Marín-Moreno ◽  
Tim A Minshull ◽  
Angus I Best
Keyword(s):  
Aspect Ratio ◽  
Wave Velocity ◽  
Methane Hydrate ◽  
Hydrate Formation ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Gas Bubble ◽  
Berea Sandstone ◽  
Frequency Dependent ◽  
P Wave Velocity ◽  
Hydrate Saturation

SUMMARY Knowledge of the effect of methane hydrate saturation and morphology on elastic wave attenuation could help reduce ambiguity in seafloor hydrate content estimates. These are needed for seafloor resource and geohazard assessment, as well as to improve predictions of greenhouse gas fluxes into the water column. At low hydrate saturations, measuring attenuation can be particularly useful as the seismic velocity of hydrate-bearing sediments is relatively insensitive to hydrate content. Here, we present laboratory ultrasonic (448–782 kHz) measurements of P-wave velocity and attenuation for successive cycles of methane hydrate formation (maximum hydrate saturation of 26 per cent) in Berea sandstone. We observed systematic and repeatable changes in the velocity and attenuation frequency spectra with hydrate saturation. Attenuation generally increases with hydrate saturation, and with measurement frequency at hydrate saturations below 6 per cent. For hydrate saturations greater than 6 per cent, attenuation decreases with frequency. The results support earlier experimental observations of frequency-dependent attenuation peaks at specific hydrate saturations. We used an effective medium rock-physics model which considers attenuation from gas bubble resonance, inertial fluid flow and squirt flow from both fluid inclusions in hydrate and different aspect ratio pores created during hydrate formation. Using this model, we linked the measured attenuation spectral changes to a decrease in coexisting methane gas bubble radius, and creation of different aspect ratio pores during hydrate formation.

scholarly journals Simulation of the effect of stress-induced anisotropy on borehole compressional wave propagation

Geophysics ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. D205-D216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinding Fang ◽  
Michael C. Fehler ◽  
Arthur Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Wave Propagation ◽  
Stress Concentration ◽  
Elastic Properties ◽  
Wave Velocity ◽  
Wave Amplitude ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Azimuthal Variation ◽  
P Wave Velocity ◽  
Velocity Region

Formation elastic properties near a borehole may be altered from their original state due to the stress concentration around the borehole. This can lead to an incorrect estimation of formation elastic properties measured from sonic logs. Previous work has focused on estimating the elastic properties of the formation surrounding a borehole under anisotropic stress loading. We studied the effect of borehole stress concentration on sonic logging in a moderately consolidated Berea sandstone using a two-step approach. First, we used an iterative approach, which combines a rock-physics model and a finite-element method, to calculate the stress-dependent elastic properties of the rock around a borehole subjected to an anisotropic stress loading. Second, we used the anisotropic elastic model obtained from the first step and a finite-difference method to simulate the acoustic response of the borehole. Although we neglected the effects of rock failure and stress-induced crack opening, our modeling results provided important insights into the characteristics of borehole P-wave propagation when anisotropic in situ stresses are present. Our simulation results were consistent with the published laboratory measurements, which indicate that azimuthal variation of the P-wave velocity around a borehole subjected to uniaxial loading is not a simple cosine function. However, on field scale, the azimuthal variation in P-wave velocity might not be apparent at conventional logging frequencies. We found that the low-velocity region along the wellbore acts as an acoustic focusing zone that substantially enhances the P-wave amplitude, whereas the high-velocity region caused by the stress concentration near the borehole results in a significantly reduced P-wave amplitude. This results in strong azimuthal variation of P-wave amplitude, which may be used to infer the in situ stress state.

Identification of gas hydrate dissociation from wireline-log data in the Shenhu area, South China Sea

Geophysics ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. B125-B134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiujuan Wang ◽  
Myung Lee ◽  
Shiguo Wu ◽  
Shengxiong Yang
Keyword(s):  
Wave Velocity ◽  
Gas Hydrate ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
Pore Space ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Well Log ◽  
Hydrate Dissociation ◽  
Free Gas ◽  
P Wave Velocity

Wireline logs were acquired in eight wells during China’s first gas hydrate drilling expedition (GMGS-1) in April–June of 2007. Well logs obtained from site SH3 indicated gas hydrate was present in the depth range of 195–206 m below seafloor with a maximum pore-space gas hydrate saturation, calculated from pore water freshening, of about 26%. Assuming gas hydrate is uniformly distributed in the sediments, resistivity calculations using Archie’s equation yielded hydrate-saturation trends similar to those from chloride concentrations. However, the measured compressional (P-wave) velocities decreased sharply at the depth between 194 and 199 mbsf, dropping as low as [Formula: see text], indicating the presence of free gas in the pore space, possibly caused by the dissociation of gas hydrate during drilling. Because surface seismic data acquired prior to drilling were not influenced by the in situ gas hydrate dissociation, surface seismic data could be used to identify the cause of the low P-wave velocity observed in the well log. To determine whether the low well-log P-wave velocity was caused by in situ free gas or by gas hydrate dissociation, synthetic seismograms were generated using the measured well-log P-wave velocity along with velocities calculated assuming both gas hydrate and free gas in the pore space. Comparing the surface seismic data with various synthetic seismograms suggested that low P-wave velocities were likely caused by the dissociation of in situ gas hydrate during drilling.

scholarly journals Estimating uniaxial compressive strength, density and porosity of rocks from the p-wave velocity measurements in-situ and in the laboratory

2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 521-528
Author(s):  
André Cezar Zingano ◽  
Paulo Salvadoretti ◽  
Rafael Ubirajara Rocha ◽  
João Felipe Coimbra Leite Costa
Keyword(s):  
Compressive Strength ◽  
Uniaxial Compressive Strength ◽  
Wave Velocity ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Velocity Measurements ◽  
P Wave Velocity

P-wave velocity differences between surface-derived and core samples from the Sulu ultrahigh-pressure terrane: Implications for in situ velocities at great depths

Geology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (7) ◽  
pp. 651-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shengsi Sun ◽  
Shaocheng Ji ◽  
Qian Wang ◽  
Matthew Salisbury ◽  
Hartmut Kern
Keyword(s):  
Wave Velocity ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Ultrahigh Pressure ◽  
Core Samples ◽  
P Wave Velocity

Forced imbibition into a limestone: measuring P-wave velocity and water saturation dependence on injection rate

2014 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 1126-1142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofia Lopes ◽  
Maxim Lebedev ◽  
Tobias M. Müller ◽  
Michael B. Clennell ◽  
Boris Gurevich
Keyword(s):  
Wave Velocity ◽  
Water Saturation ◽  
Injection Rate ◽  
P Wave ◽  
P Wave Velocity

Variation in P-wave modulus with frequency and water saturation: Extension of dynamic-equivalent-medium approach

Geophysics ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 81 (5) ◽  
pp. D479-D494 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuki Kobayashi ◽  
Gary Mavko
Keyword(s):  
Wave Velocity ◽  
Velocity Dispersion ◽  
Water Saturation ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Mesoscopic Scale ◽  
Original Theory ◽  
Saturated Rock ◽  
Pressure Diffusion ◽  
P Wave Velocity ◽  
Dynamic Equivalent

We have developed a new modeling approach for the complex-valued P-wave modulus of a rock saturated with two-phase fluid accounting for the variation with frequency and water saturation. Our method is based on the dynamic-equivalent-medium approach theory, which predicts P-wave modulus dispersion due to mesoscopic-scale wave-induced fluid flow (WIFF). Although the application of the original theory was limited to small fluctuation media, we have extended it to also be applicable for high-fluctuation media such as partially saturated rock. Our modification and extension consists of two components. The first is introducing a scaling by the rigorous bounds for P-wave velocity dispersion by mesoscopic-scale WIFF. The second is to develop a model representing the effective patch size of stiffer fluid that controls the location of the dispersion curve. We have found that the spatial correlation length of heterogeneity of saturated rock used in the original theory does not appropriately capture the effective heterogeneity scale responsible for mesoscale pressure diffusion. Its variation with saturation can be properly accounted for by the proposed patch-sized variation model. The comparison of the theoretical prediction with the published laboratory velocity and attenuation measurements suggests that our approach predicts the wave properties for high-fluctuation media with reasonable accuracy. The effect of mesoscopic-scale pressure diffusion is significant and the amount of velocity dispersion and attenuation is large in high-fluctuation media; therefore, our extension will improve quantitative characterization of, for example, a [Formula: see text]-sequestrated reservoir either by P-wave velocity or attenuation.

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