A large-scale experimental simulator for natural gas hydrate recovery and its experimental applications

To facilitate the recovery of natural gas hydrate (NGH) deposits in the South China Sea, we have designed and developed the world's largest publicly reported experimental simulator for NGH recovery. This system can also be used to perform CO₂ capture and sequestration experiments and to simulate NGH recovery using CH₄/CO₂ replacement. This system was used to prepare a shallow gas and hydrate reservoir, to simulate NGH recovery via depressurization with a horizontal well. A set of experimental procedures and data analysis methods were prepared for this system. By analyzing the measurements taken by each probe, we determined the temperature, pressure, and acoustic parameter trends that accompany NGH recovery. The results demonstrate that the temperature fields, pressure fields, acoustic characteristics, and electrical impedances of an NGH recovery experiment can be precisely monitored in real time using the aforementioned experimental system. Furthermore, fluid production rates can be calculated at a high level of precision. It was concluded that (1) the optimal production pressure differential ranges from 0.8 to 1.0 MPa, and the wellbore will clog if the pressure differential reaches 1.2 MPa; and (2) during NGH decomposition, strong heterogeneities will arise in the surrounding temperature and pressure fields, which will affect the shallow gas stratum.