Seismic Methods for Exploration and Exploitation of Gas Hydrate

Abstract

Seismic and rock physics play important roles in gas hydrate exploration and production. To provide a clear cognition of the applications of geophysical methods on gas hydrate, this work presents a review of the seismic techniques, rock physics models, and production methods in gas hydrate exploration and exploitation. We first summarize the commonly used seismic techniques in identifying the gas hydrate formations and analyze the limitations and challenges of these techniques. Then, we outline the rock physics models linking the micro-scale physical properties and macro-scale seismic velocities of gas hydrate sediments, and generalize the common workflow, showing the frequently-used procedures of building models with detailed analysis of the potential uncertainties. Afterwards, we summarize the production techniques of gas hydrate and point out the problems regarding the petrophysical basis and abnormal seismic responses. In the end, considering the geological and engineering problems, we come up with several aspects of using geophysical techniques to solve the problems in gas hydrate exploration and production, hopefully to provide some important clues for future studies of gas hydrate.

Keywords

gas hydrate / seismic method / rock physics model / production technique

References

[1] Ba J, Xu W H, Fu L Y, . Rock Anelasticity due to Patchy Saturation and Fabric Heterogeneity: A Double Double-Porosity Model of Wave Propagation. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2017, 122(3): 1949-1976

[2] Bai H, Pecher I A, Adam L, . Possible Link between Weak Bottom Simulating Reflections and Gas Hydrate Systems in Fractures and Macropores of Fine-Grained Sediments: Results from the Hikurangi Margin, New Zealand. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 2016, 71: 225-237.

[3] Bains S, Corfield R M, Norris R D. Mechanisms of Climate Warming at the End of the Paleocene. Science, 1999, 285(5428): 724-727.

[4] Barnes A E. Handbook of Poststack Seismic Attributes, 2016, Yale: Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Petronas Research

[5] Bennett R H, Bryant W R, Hulbert M H, . Microstructure of Fine-Grained Sediments: From Mud to Shale, 1991, New York: Springer

[6] Best A I, Priest J A, Clayton C R I, . The Effect of Methane Hydrate Morphology and Water Saturation on Seismic Wave Attenuation in Sand under Shallow Sub-Seafloor Conditions. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2013, 368: 78-87.

[7] Boswell R. Is Gas Hydrate Energy within Reach?. Science, 2009, 325(5943): 957-958.

[8] Brown A R. Seismic Attributes and Their Classification. The Leading Edge, 1996, 15(10): 1090

[9] Buffett B A, Zatsepina O Y. Formation of Gas Hydrate from Dissolved Gas in Natural Porous Media. Marine Geology, 2000, 164 1/2 69-77.

[10] Carcione J M, Tinivella U. Bottom-Simulating Reflectors: Seismic Velocities and AVO Effects. Geophysics, 2000, 65(1): 54-67.

[11] Chand S, Minshull T A. Seismic Constraints on the Effects of Gas Hydrate on Sediment Physical Properties and Fluid Flow: A Review. Geofluids, 2003, 3(4): 275-289.

[12] Chand S, Minshull T A, Gei D, . Elastic Velocity Models for Gas-Hydrate-Bearing Sediments—A Comparison. Geophysical Journal International, 2004, 159(2): 573-590.

[13] Chen M A P, Riedel M, Dosso S E. Seismic AVO for Gas-Hydrate-Related Reflections. In: Riedel, M., ed., Geophysical Characterization of Gas Hydrates. Society of Exploration Geophysicists Geophysical Development Series, 2010, 14: 73-93.

[14] Collett T S. Energy Resource Potential of Natural Gas Hydrates. AAPG Bulletin, 2002, 86: 1971-1992.

[15] Dai J C, Xu H B, Snyder F, . Detection and Estimation of Gas Hydrates Using Rock Physics and Seismic Inversion: Examples from the Northern Deepwater Gulf of Mexico. The Leading Edge, 2004, 23(1): 60-66.

[16] Dillon W P, Lee Myung W, Fehlhaber K, . Gas Hydrates on the Atlantic Continental Margin of the United States—Controls on Concentration. US Geological Survey Professional Paper, 1993, 1570: 313-330.

[17] Dillon, W. P., Max, M. D., 2003. Natural Gas Hydrate in Oceanic and Permafrost Environments, Coastal Systems and Continental Margins. In: Max, M. D., ed., Dordrecht, The Netherlands. 61–76. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4387-5

[18] Dvorkin J, Mavko G, Nur A. The Effect of Cementation on the Elastic Properties of Granular Material. Mechanics of Materials, 1991, 12(3/4): 207-217.

[19] Dvorkin J, Nur A. Dynamic Poroelasticity: A Unified Model with the Squirt and the Biot Mechanisms. Geophysics, 1993, 58(4): 524-533.

[20] Dvorkin J, Nur A. Elasticity of High-Porosity Sandstones: Theory for Two North Sea Data Sets. Geophysics, 1996, 61(5): 1363-1370.

[21] Dvorkin J, Nur A, Yin H Z. Effective Properties of Cemented Granular Materials. Mechanics of Materials, 1994, 18(4): 351-366.

[22] Ecker C, Dvorkin J, Nur A. Sediments with Gas Hydrates: Internal Structure from Seismic AVO. Geophysics, 1998, 63(5): 1659-1669.

[23] Ellison S J, Imhof M G, Çoruh C, . Modeling Offset-Dependent Reflectivity for Time-Lapse Monitoring of Water-Flood Production in Thin-Layered Reservoirs. Geophysics, 2004, 69(1): 25-36.

[24] Fabricius I L, Høier C, Japsen P, . Modelling Elastic Properties of Impure Chalk from South Arne Field, North Sea. Geophysical Prospecting, 2007, 55(4): 487-506.

[25] Fang H, Xu M C, Lin Z Z, . Geophysical Characteristics of Gas Hydrate in the Muli Area, Qinghai Province. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 2017, 37: 539-550.

[26] Faure K, Greinert J, Pecher I A, . Methane Seepage and Its Relation to Slumping and Gas Hydrate at the Hikurangi Margin, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, 2006, 49(4): 503-516.

[27] Gay A, Mourgues R, Berndt C, . Anatomy of a Fluid Pipe in the Norway Basin: Initiation, Propagation and 3D Shape. Marine Geology, 2012, 332/333/334: 75-88.

[28] Gei D, Carcione J M. Acoustic Properties of Sediments Saturated with Gas Hydrate, Free Gas and Water. Geophysical Prospecting, 2003, 51: 141-157.

[29] Ghosh R, Ojha M. Amount of Gas Hydrate Estimated from Rock Physics Analysis Based on Morphology and Intrinsic Anisotropy in Area B, Krishna Godavari Offshore Basin, Expedition NGHP-02. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 2021, 124: 104856

[30] Guo Z Q, Wang X Y, Jiao J, . Rock Physics Model and Seismic Dispersion and Attenuation in Gas Hydrate-Bearing Sediments. Frontiers in Earth Science, 2021, 9 641606

[31] Haacke R R, Westbrook G K, Hyndman R D. Gas Hydrate, Fluid Flow and Free Gas: Formation of the Bottom-Simulating Reflector. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2007, 261(3/4): 407-420.

[32] Helgerud M B, Dvorkin J, Nur A, . Elastic-Wave Velocity in Marine Sediments with Gas Hydrates: Effective Medium Modeling. Geophysical Research Letters, 1999, 26(13): 2021-2024.

[33] Holbrook W S, Hoskins H, Wood W T. Methane Hydrate and Free Gas on the Blake Ridge from Vertical Seismic Profiling. Science, 1996, 273(5283): 1840-1843.

[34] Hornby B E, Schwartz L M, Hudson J A. Anisotropic Effective-Medium Modeling of the Elastic Properties of Shales. Geophysics, 1994, 59 1570-1581.

[35] Hu G W, Chen Q, Meng Q G, . Application of Modern Instruments Measurement Techniques for Hydrate Research. Natural Gas Hydrates, 2013, 7: 367-394.

[36] Hu G W, Li C F, Ye Y G, . Observation of Gas Hydrate Distribution in Sediment Pore Space. Chinese Journal of Geophysics, 2014, 57(5): 1675-1682. (in Chinese with English Abstract)

[37] Hu G W, Ye Y G, Zhang J, . Acoustic Properties of Gas Hydrate-Bearing Consolidated Sediments and Experimental Testing of Elastic Velocities Models. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2010, 115(B2): 1-11.

[38] Hu, G. W., Ye, Y., 2012. Ultrasonic Waves on Gas Hydrates Experiments. Ultrasonic Waves, InTech. https://doi.org/10.5772/30206

[39] Hyndman R D, Spence G D. A Seismic Study of Methane Hydrate Marine Bottom Simulating Reflectors. Journal of Geophysical Research, 1992, 97: 6683-6698.

[40] Hyndman R D, Spence G D, Chapman R. Geophysical Studies of Marine Gas Hydrate in Northern Cascadia. Geophysical Monograph Series, 2001, 124: 273-295.

[41] Jaiswal P, Zelt C A, Pecher I A. Seismic Characterization of a Gas Hydrate System in the Gulf of Mexico Using Wide-Aperture Data. Geophysical Journal International, 2006, 165(1): 108-120.

[42] Jakobsen M, Hudson J A, Minshull T A, . Elastic Properties of Hydrate-Bearing Sediment Using Effective Medium Theory. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, 2000, 105(B1): 561-577.

[43] Johnson A H. Global Resource Potential of Gas Hydrate—A New Calculation. Fire in the Ice, 2011, 12(2): 1-7

[44] Kim K J, Yi B Y, Kang N K, . Seismic Attribute Analysis of the Indicator for Gas Hydrate Occurrence in the Northwest Ulleung Basin, East Sea. Energy Procedia, 2015, 76: 463-469.

[45] Kowalsky M B, Nakagawa S, Moridis G J. Feasibility of Monitoring Gas-Hydrate Production with Time-Lapse Vertical Seismic Profiling. SPE Journal, 2010, 15(3): 634-645.

[46] Krief M, Garat J, Stellingwerff J, . A Petrophysical Interpretation Using the Velocities of P and S Waves (Full-Waveform Sonic). Log Analyst, 1990, 31: 355-369.

[47] Kumar J, Sain K, Arun K P. Seismic Attributes for Characterizing Gas Hydrates: A Study from the Mahanadi Offshore, India. Marine Geophysical Research, 2019, 40(1): 73-86.

[48] Kvenvolden K A. Methane Hydrate—A Major Reservoir of Carbon in the Shallow Geosphere?. Chemical Geology, 1988, 71(1/2/3): 41-51.

[49] Leclaire P, Cohen-Ténoudji F, Aguirre-Puente J. Extension of Biot’s Theory of Wave Propagation to Frozen Porous Media. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 1994, 96(6): 3753-3768.

[50] Lee J Y, Ryu B J, Yun T S, . Review on the Gas Hydrate Development and Production as a New Energy Resource. KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering, 2011, 15(4): 689-696.

[51] Lee M W. Biot-Gassmann Theory for Velocities of Gas Hydrate-Bearing Sediments. Geophysics, 2002, 67(6): 1711-1719.

[52] Lee M W, Hutchinson D R, Collett T S, . Seismic Velocities for Hydrate-Bearing Sediments Using Weighted Equation. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 1996, 101(B9): 20347-20358.

[53] Li L. Applicability of Thomsen Approximate Formula in Transversely Isotropic Media. Geophysical Prospecting for Petroleum, 2008, 47(2): 116-122. (in Chinese with English Abstract)

[54] Liang J Q, Fu S Y, Chen F, . Characteristics of Methane Seepage and Gas Hydrate Reservoir in the Northeastern Slope of South China Sea. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2017, 28(5): 761-770. (in Chinese with English Abstract)

[55] Liu H L, Yao Y J, Deng H. Geological and Geophysical Conditions for Potential Natural Gas Hydrate Resources in Southern South China Sea Waters. Journal of Earth Science, 2011, 22(6): 718-725.

[56] Liu J W, Li X S. Recent Advances on Natural Gas Hydrate Exploration and Development in the South China Sea. Energy & Fuels, 2021, 35(9): 7528-7552.

[57] Liu X Q, Liu H S, Xing L, . Seismic Low-Frequency Shadow beneath Gas Hydrate in the Shenhu Area Based on the Stereoscopic Observation System. Journal of Earth Science, 2018, 29(3): 669-678.

[58] Liu X X, Yin X Y, Luan X W. Seismic Rock Physical Modelling for Gas Hydrate-Bearing Sediments. Science China Earth Sciences, 2018, 61(9): 1261-1278.

[59] Lu Y T, Luan X W, Lyu F L, . Seismic Evidence and Formation Mechanism of Gas Hydrates in the Zhongjiannan Basin, Western Margin of the South China Sea. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 2017, 84: 274-288.

[60] Marín-Moreno H, Sahoo S K, Best A I. Theoretical Modeling Insights into Elastic Wave Attenuation Mechanisms in Marine Sediments with Pore-Filling Methane Hydrate. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2017, 122: 1835-1847.

[61] Mavko G, Mukerji T, Dvorkin J. The Rock Physics Handbook, 2009 2nd Edition Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

[62] Motra H B, Stutz H H. Geomechanical Rock Properties Using Pressure and Temperature Dependence of Elastic P- and S-Wave Velocities. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 2018, 36(6): 3751-3766.

[63] Ojha M, Sain K. Seismic Attributes for Identifying Gas-Hydrates and Free-Gas Zones: Application to the Makran Accretionary Prism. Episodes, 2009, 32(4): 264-270.

[64] Pang M Q, Ba J, Carcione J M, . Estimation of Porosity and Fluid Saturation in Carbonates from Rock-Physics Templates Based on Seismic Q. Geophysics, 2019, 84(6): 1-51.

[65] Pecher I A, Ranero C R, von Huene R, . The Nature and Distribution of Bottom Simulating Reflectors at the Costa Rican Convergent Margin. Geophysical Journal International, 1998, 133(2): 219-229.

[66] Priest J A, Best A I, Clayton C R I. A Laboratory Investigation into the Seismic Velocities of Methane Gas Hydrate-Bearing Sand. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2005, 110(B4): B04112

[67] Priest J A, Best A I, Clayton C R I. Attenuation of Seismic Waves in Methane Gas Hydrate-Bearing Sand. Geophysical Journal International, 2006, 164 1 149-159.

[68] Priest J A, Rees E V L, Clayton C R I. Influence of Gas Hydrate Morphology on the Seismic Velocities of Sands. Journal of Geophysical Research, 2009, 114: B11205

[69] Qi H, Ba J, Muller T M. Temperature Effect on the Velocity-Porosity Relationship in Rocks. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2020, 126(1): B019317

[70] Qian J, Wang X J, Wu S G, . AVO Analysis of BSR to Assess Free Gas within Fine-Grained Sediments in the Shenhu Area, South China Sea. Marine Geophysical Research, 2014, 35 2 125-140.

[71] Qin X W, Liang Q Y, Ye J L, . The Response of Temperature and Pressure of Hydrate Reservoirs in the First Gas Hydrate Production Test in South China Sea. Applied Energy, 2020, 278 115649

[72] Qu L, Zou C C, Lu Z Q, . Elastic-Wave Velocity Characterization of Gas Hydrate-Bearing Fractured Reservoirs in a Permafrost Area of the Qilian Mountain, Northwest China. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 2017, 88 1047-1058.

[73] Ruppel C. Permafrost-Associated Gas Hydrate: Is it Really Approximately 1% of the Global System?. Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data, 2015, 60(2): 429-436.

[74] Sain K, Minshull T A, Singh S C, . Evidence for a Thick Free Gas Layer beneath the Bottom Simulating Reflector in the Makran Accretionary Prism. Marine Geology, 2000, 164(1/2): 3-12.

[75] Satyavani N, Sain K, Gupta H K. Ocean Bottom Seismometer Data Modeling to Infer Gas Hydrate Saturation in Krishna-Godavari (KG) Basin. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 2016, 33: 908-917.

[76] Sava D, Hardage B A. Rock Physics Characterization of Hydrate-Bearing Deepwater Sediments. The Leading Edge, 2006, 25(5): 616-619.

[77] Sha Z B, Liang J Q, Zhang G X, . A Seepage Gas Hydrate System in Northern South China Sea: Seismic and Well Log Interpretations. Marine Geology, 2015, 366: 69-78.

[78] Sha Z B, Zhang M, Zhang G X, . Using 4C OBS to Reveal the Distribution and Velocity Attributes of Gas Hydrates at the Northern Continental Slope of South China Sea. Applied Geophysics, 2015, 12(4): 555-563.

[79] Sheng P. Effective-Medium Theory of Sedimentary Rocks. Physical Review B, Condensed Matter, 1990, 41(7): 4507-4512.

[80] Singh S C, Minshull T A, Spence G D. Velocity Structure of a Gas Hydrate Reflector. Science, 1993, 260(5105): 204-207.

[81] Singhroha S, Chand S, Bünz S. Constraints on Gas Hydrate Distribution and Morphology in Vestnesa Ridge, Western Svalbard Margin, Using Multicomponent Ocean-Bottom Seismic Data. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2019, 124(5): 4343-4364.

[82] Song H, Jiang W, Zhang W, . Advances in Marine Geophysics of Natural Gas Hydrates. Progress in Geophysics, 2002, 17(2): 224-229. (in Chinese with English Abstract)

[83] Song S, Tinivella U, Giustiniani M, . OBS Data Analysis to Quantify Gas Hydrate and Free Gas in the South Shetland Margin (Antarctica). Energies, 2018, 11(12): 3290

[84] Sun W T, Ba J, Müller T M, . Comparison of P-Wave Attenuation Models of Wave-Induced Flow. Geophysical Prospecting, 2015, 63 2 378-390.

[85] Sunjay, S., Banerjee, M., Singh, N. P., 2011. Geophysical Techniques for Exploration and Production of Gas Hydrate. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Gas Hydrates (ICGH), Edinburgh

[86] Thakur, N. K., Rajput, S., 2011. Exploration of Gas Hydrates: Geophysical Techniques. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-14234-5

[87] Tohidi B, Anderson R, Clennell M B, . Visual Observation of Gas-Hydrate Formation and Dissociation in Synthetic Porous Media by Means of Glass Micromodels. Geology, 2001, 29(9): 867

[88] Toms J, Muller T M, Ciz R, . Comparative Review of Theoretical Models for Elastic Wave Attenuation and Dispersion in Partially Saturated Rocks. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 2006, 26 6 548-565.

[89] Wang D, Li D L, Zhang H L, . Laboratory Measurement of Longitudinal Wave Velocity of Artificial Gas Hydrate under Different Temperatures and Pressures. Science in China Series G: Physics, Mechanics and Astronomy, 2008, 51(12): 1905-1913.

[90] Wang W, Ba J, Carcione J M, . Wave Properties of Gas-Hydrate Bearing Sediments Based on Poroelasticity. Frontiers in Earth Science, 2021, 9: 640424

[91] Wang X C, Qian R Y, Xia C L. PS-Wave Processing and S-Wave Velocity Inversion of OBS Data from Northern South China Sea. Journal of Applied Geophysics, 2014, 100 58-65.

[92] Wang X J, Liu B, Qian J, . Geophysical Evidence for Gas Hydrate Accumulation Related to Methane Seepage in the Taixinan Basin, South China Sea. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 2018, 168: 27-37.

[93] Wang Y J, Chen S Q, Wang L, . Modeling and Analysis of Seismic Wave Dispersion Based on the Rock Physics Model. Journal of Geophysics and Engineering, 2013, 10(5): 054001

[94] Wang Y, Yang C, Lu J. Dilemma Faced by Elastic Wave Inversion in Thinly Layered Media. Chinese Journal of Geophysics, 2018, 61 3 1118-1135. (in Chinese with English Abstract)

[95] Westbrook G K, Chand S, Rossi G, . Estimation of Gas Hydrate Concentration from Multi-Component Seismic Data at Sites on the Continental Margins of NW Svalbard and the Storegga Region of Norway. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 2008, 25(8): 744-758.

[96] Winters W J, Pecher I A, Waite W F, . Physical Properties and Rock Physics Models of Sediment Containing Natural and Laboratory-Formed Methane Gas Hydrate. American Mineralogist, 2004, 89(8/9): 1221-1227.

[97] Wu Z Q, Wen L, Tong S Y, . Advances in Seismic Researches on Natural Gas Hydrate in Ocean. Progress in Geophysics, 2007, 22(1): 218-227. (in Chinese with English Abstract)

[98] Xu, Y., Chopra, S., 2003. Possibility of AVO Applications in Gas Hydrate Exploration in Mackenzie Delta, Canada. The 73rd Annual International Meeting, SEG, Expanded Abstract. 258–261. https://doi.org/10.1190/1.1817890

[99] Yang R, Yan P, Wu N Y, . Application of AVO Analysis to Gas Hydrates Identification in the Northern Slope of the South China Sea. Acta Geophysica, 2014, 62(4): 802-817.

[100] Yang, S. X., Zhang, G. X., Zhang, M., et al., 2014. A Complex Gas Hydrate System in the Dongsha Area, South China Sea: Results from Drilling Expedition GMG S2. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Gas Hydrates (ICGH8-2014), Beijing

[101] Yoo D G, Kang N K, Yi B Y, . Occurrence and Seismic Characteristics of Gas Hydrate in the Ulleung Basin, East Sea. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 2013, 47: 236-247.

[102] You J C, Feng K, Wang C, . The Cause of Seismic Blanking Zone for Gas Hydrate. Geophysical Prospecting for Petroleum, 2014, 53(2): 216-222. (in Chinese with English Abstract)

[103] Yuan H M, Han D H, Zhang W M. Heavy Oil Sands Measurement and Rock-Physics Modeling. Geophysics, 2016, 81(1): D57-D70.

[104] Yuan H M, Han D H, Zhao L X, . Rock-Physics Characterization of Bitumen Carbonates: A Case Study. Geophysics, 2018, 83(3): B119-B132.

[105] Yun T S, Francisca F M, Santamarina J C, . Compressional and Shear Wave Velocities in Uncemented Sediment Containing Gas Hydrate. Geophysical Research Letters, 2005, 32(10): L10609

[106] Zhang G X, Liang J Q, Lu J A, . Geological Features, Controlling Factors and Potential Prospects of the Gas Hydrate Occurrence in the East Part of the Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 2015, 67: 356-367.

[107] Zhang G X, Yang S X, Zhang M, . GMGS2 Expedition Investigates Rich and Complex Gas Hydrate Environment in the South China Sea. Fire in the Ice, 2014, 14 1-5.

[108] Zhang H T, Zhang H Q, Zhu Y H. Gas Hydrate Investigation and Research in China: Present Status and Progress. Geology in China, 2007, 34(6): 953-961. (in Chinese with English Abstract)

[109] Zhang R W, Li H Q, Wen P F, . Analysis of Velocity Dispersion and Attenuation Characteristics of Marine Hydrate Deposits. Journal of Geophysics, 2016, 59(5): 3417-3427

[110] Zhang, Z. J., McConnell, D., Yao, Q. L., 2014. Seismic Amplitudes and Attenuations of Gas Hydrate-Bearing Sediments in Fractured and Sand Reservoirs. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Gas Hydrates (ICGH8-2014), Beijing