GAS HYDRATE PRODUCTION TEST: FROM EXPERIMENTAL SIMULATION TO FIELD PRACTICE

The eventual aim of gas hydrate research is to develop and utilize the hydrate resource effectively, that is to achieve long-term exploitation safely and efficiently. Gas hydrate production test is just the first step towards this destination. In the last several decades, great achievements for gas hydrate exploitation method studies have been made by laboratory experiments and numerical simulations, which have laid a solid foundation for gas hydrate production test. In the permafrost areas, the gas hydrate production tests were carried out by the US, Japan and Canada in the Mallik program at the Mackenzie Delta, and the U.S. in the North Slope of Alaska, respectively. The results provide some valuable experiences for gas production from marine gas hydrate. In 2013 and 2015, Japan and China carried out successfully the marine gas hydrate production tests in different sea areas respectively, suggesting landmark achievements in gas hydrate researches. It indicates that the study of gas hydrate exploitation technology has changed gradually from laboratory simulation to field practice. In this paper, we reviewed the principles and the experimental results for various gas hydrate exploitation methods, introduced briefly the numerical simulation methods and their progresses, discussed the key technology preparation required for gas hydrate production tests and the field practice effect. We also discussed the limitation and challenges faced by each method. Some advices were presented on the science and technology issues of gas production of marine gas hydrate resources.