Free gas bubbles in the hydrate stability zone: evidence from CT investigation under in situ conditions
Abstract
Determination of the internal structures and the fabric of natural marine gas hydrate as well as its distribution in shallow subseafloor depth was restricted because of dissociation during recovery. Investigation under in situ conditions becomes possible with a pressure coring device. The newly developed MultiAutoclaveCorer (MAC) can take up to four cores which are housed in a pressure vessel called LabTransferChamber (LTC), which is compatible with CT imaging technology. During a video-guided deployment on Hydrate Ridge, a well known near-surface gas hydrate-rich environment, two LTCs were filled and recovered under pressure. CT imaging was performed four days after retrieval in a medical clinic in Palo Alto/Ca., a second round was run 2 months later in Kiel/Germany, still under pressure. The same type of scanner was used for both rounds of imaging. The function and the pressure preserving capability of the MAC was confirmed. Although only 0.8 m apart, both cores showed different gas hydrate contents, varying between a maximum of 5 vol-% in LTC 3 and 48 vol-% in LTC 4, documenting the high variability of gas hydrate occurrences in near-surface sediments. The uppermost layer of gas hydrate was observed 0.1 m below the seafloor. The high gas hydrate content in LTC 4 is concentrated in a horizon between 0.28 and 0.32 m subseafloor depth. Within this hoizon a significant quantity of bubbles was detected with a free gas content of up to 2.4 vol-%. Bubble sizes reach a maximum of 1.8 x 10-2 m in either x, y or z direction. Integrating across the mentioned core interval, the gas hydrate content is 19 vol-% and the free gas content is 0.8 vol-%. Assuming several simplifications, the normalised calculated methane volume of the gas hydrate is 9.15 x 10-3 m^3 and the amount of methane in the bubbles is 1.49 x 10-4 m^3.
- Publication:
-
EGS - AGU - EUG Joint Assembly
- Pub Date:
- April 2003
- Bibcode:
- 2003EAEJA....10342A