Methane Hydrate Dissociation by Depressurization in Sediments with Different Hydrate Saturations in Cubic Hydrate Simulator

Abstract The methane dissociation phenomena from hydrate-bearing sediment with different hydrate saturations by depressurization are experimentally investigated in the cubic hydrate simulator (CHS). The experiments have been carried out over the hydrate saturation range of 16.0%-40.7%. The hydrate dissociation process consists of two periods: depressurizing and steady pressure. In different experiments, the cumulative gas productions are similar in the depressurizing period and increase with the hydrate saturation in the steady pressure period. The average gas production rate increases with the increase of the hydrate saturation while decreases at the hydrate saturation of 40.7% in the steady pressure period. The temperature in different regions in the reactor changes by similar degrees in the depressurizing period and has the similar lowest values for different experiments.