HR: 12:05h
AN: OS22A-08 [Abstracts]
TI: Formation of Massive Hydrate From the Accumulation of Free CH4 gas in Sediments
AU: * Ulrich, S M
EM: ulrichsm@ornl.gov
AF: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, MS-6036, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United
States
AU: Elwood Madden, M E
EM: melwood@ou.edu
AF: University of Oklahoma, School of Geology and Geophysics, 100 E. Boyd, Suite 810,
Norman, OK 73019, United States
AU: Szymcek, P
EM: pszymcek@gmail.com
AF: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, MS-6036, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United
States
AU: McCallum, S
EM: scottmccallum10@hotmail.com
AF: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, MS-6036, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United
States
AU: Phelps, T J
EM: phelpstj@ornl.gov
AF: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, MS-6036, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United
States
AB:
In many cases, hydrate samples recovered from seafloor sediments occur as veins or nodules, suggesting that
there are strong geologic controls on where hydrate is likely to accumulate. Large-volume experiments have been
conducted in Oak Ridge National Laboratory's high-pressure Seafloor Process Simulator examining massive
hydrate accumulation from free methane gas bubbles within natural and synthetic sediments. Pressure and
temperature data were supplemented by visual observation. Presence of methane hydrate was first recorded as
a thin film at the gas/water interface of methane bubbles which had accumulated within sediment void spaces.
Massive hydrate growth occurred when hydrate-covered bubbles aggregated. Observations of hydrate growth
indicate that accumulation of gas bubbles within void spaces and at facies boundaries likely results in the
formation of massive hydrate deposits in systems containing free gas. These experiments suggest that geologic
controls, such as bubble pathways and accumulation points likely control the location and habit of massive
hydrate deposits in systems containing free methane gas.
DE: 0714 Clathrate
DE: 3004 Gas and hydrate systems
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting