Earth’s Cryosphere, 2020, vol. XXIV, No. 2, pp. 40–47
10.21782/KZ1560-7496-2020-2(40-47)
INFLUENCE OF HYDRATE FORMATION ON GAS PERMEABILITY VARIATIONS IN FROZEN SANDS
E.M. Chuvilin1, S.I. Grebenkin1, D.A. Davletshina1,2, M.V. Jmaev2
1 Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo Innovation Center,
build. 3, Nobil str., Moscow, 143026, Russia; e.chuvilin@skoltech.ru
2 Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Geology, 1, Leninskie Gory, Moscow, 119991, Russia
The study of gas permeability variations in frozen sand samples exposed to subfreezing temperatures during hydrate formation included experimental modeling with the experiments run on a specially designed system, which enabled determination of gas permeability of dispersed soils in a context of freezing and hydrate saturation. The experimentally obtained data on variations in gas permeability of frozen sand samples artificially saturated with methane or carbon dioxide under the conditions of hydrate formation at a temperature of ‒5 °С has revealed that a decrease in gas permeability occurring during hydrate formation in frozen sand samples is controlled primarily by the initial ice content. The magnitude of gas permeability reduction dependent on the fraction of pore ice converted to hydrate has been calculated. At this, the behavior of reduced gas permeability in frozen sand samples is found to be largely influenced by the type of hydrate-forming agent.
Key words: frozen sands, hydrate formation, gas permeability, ice saturation, gas hydrates, methane, carbon dioxide
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