Volume 7, Issue 6 1800699
Review

Application of X-Ray Computed Tomography Technology in Gas Hydrate

Shihui Ma

Shihui Ma

Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116000 China

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Jia-nan Zheng

Jia-nan Zheng

Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116000 China

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Dawei Tang

Corresponding Author

Dawei Tang

Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116000 China

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Yuanping Li

Yuanping Li

Institute of Science and Technology, Shenzhen Branch, China National Offshore Oil Corporation, Guangzhou, 510420 China

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Qingping Li

Qingping Li

CNOOC Research Institute Co. Ltd., Beijing, 100027 China

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Xin Lv

Xin Lv

CNOOC Research Institute Co. Ltd., Beijing, 100027 China

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First published: 04 November 2018
Citations: 18

Abstract

Clathrate hydrates are formed by water molecules and natural gas molecules under a certain temperature and pressure. Natural gas hydrates are mainly distributed in the marine sediments and the permafrost in nature. As a kind of potential clean energy, determining the structural characteristics of hydrates in sediments is the prerequisite for the safe and economic exploitation of natural gas hydrate. X-ray computed tomography (CT) is a potential method to nondestructively detect the occurrence of natural gas hydrate. The basic physical properties such as porosity, hydrate saturation, and sediment permeability of the hydrate-bearing sediments are analyzed by calculating the CT numbers or combining with the network model. Therefore, the X-ray CT is used to study the hydrates produced in the laboratory and the hydrates formed in the nature by scientists all over the world. By summarizing the previous research, this article focuses on the important role of X-ray CT in the hydrate research from the following three aspects: analyzing the basic physical properties of hydrate sediment, identifying the occurrence mode of hydrate in sediments, and measuring the hydrate formation and decomposition process. In response to the research progress and future research directions, relevant suggestions had been put forward.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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