Geophysical Methodologies for the Characterisation of Gas Hydrate Sediments
Abstract
The study of natural gas hydrate cores in the laboratory is currently limited by their instability at ambient conditions. Proposals to sample hydrates using pressure coring techniques and sample transfer chambers on-board ship are, however, in place and technical developments to enable these are well advanced (c.f. the HYACINTH project and ODP Leg 204). There is, however, a need to try to characterise the nature and extent of any gas hydrate within the pressurised sample prior to depressurising, opening and subsampling. The ability to geophysically characterise gas hydrates remotely while still in the pressurised core barrel may provide a route to detailing their physical extent and nature. With this objective, experiments to manufacture a range of synthetic gas hydrate morphologies in a range of sediments in the laboratory are in progress. To date we have succeeded in manufacturing a range of both pure and sediment-hosted CO2 hydrates. Continuing experiments are developing a range of geometrical and internal structures and fabrics (from massive to disseminated) using different sediment-hosts. These generic hydrate groups will provide a basis for non-invasive geophysical characterisation of hydrate morphologies. From these results protocols will be established to guide the geophysical logging of natural sediment-hydrate core maintained under pressure in lab transfer chambers on board the drillship, using the hyperbaric Geotek Core Logger. This will enable the characterisation and classification of hydrates sampled during ODP Leg 204 (and during subsequent hydrate sampling operations not restricted to ODP). While new insight will be gained into geophysical modelling of hydrate behaviour, it will also guide the development of sampling programs, prior to depressurising and initiating dissociation. This will allow detailed planning of shipboard scientific work utilising these rare and precious samples. This new knowledge will enhance geophysical survey data, better constrain estimates of in-situ hydrates and improve the evaluation of hydrate de-stabilisation on methane release, slope stability and global change.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2001
- Bibcode:
- 2001AGUFM.S31A0578L
- Keywords:
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- 1699 General or miscellaneous;
- 3000 MARINE GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS;
- 5100 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ROCKS;
- 5194 Instruments and techniques;
- 8105 Continental margins and sedimentary basins