IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v340y2025ics0360544225048042.html

Experimental analysis of the synergistic effect between geothermal temperature and depressurization rate in the geothermal-assisted production of natural gas hydrates

Author

Listed:
  • Yang, Lei
  • Wang, Liuhu
  • Xing, Hao
  • Gao, Peng
  • Zhang, Lunxiang
  • Dong, Hongsheng
  • Song, Yongchen

Abstract

To uncover the collaborative mechanism between Depressurization (DP) strategies and geothermal conditions in Natural gas hydrates (NGHs) production, this study systematically explored the exploitation characteristics of the depressurization method coupled with Geothermal energy (GE) assistance. Through the design of comparative experiments with varying Geothermal temperatures (GT) and depressurization rates, the focus was placed on analyzing the influence of temperature-pressure coupling laws on hydrate decomposition characteristics, heat transport efficiency, and economic benefits. The experimental results show that compared with the single depressurization method, geothermal assistance increases the production efficiency by 48.97 %. Further analysis of the impact of different geothermal temperatures on production reveals that production efficiency exhibits a nonlinear growth trend, initially increasing and then slowing down with the rise in geothermal temperature, reaching an optimal value (0.188 h−1) at 45 °C, indicating an apparent temperature threshold effect. This was attributed to an insufficient utilization (in the hydrate layer) of the heat released from the circulating water from the deep layer with a higher temperature. The study on the characteristics of different depressurization rates and geothermal temperatures suggests that increasing the depressurization rate enhances heat transfer and gas production efficiency by intensifying heat release during the constant-pressure phase. Conversely, an excessively slow depressurization rate limits extraction efficiency due to insufficient heat release. The synergistic mechanism between depressurization rate and geothermal temperature uncovered in this study provides critical theoretical support for the efficient utilization of geothermal energy and the improvement of natural gas hydrate extraction efficiency and economic feasibility.

Suggested Citation

  • Yang, Lei & Wang, Liuhu & Xing, Hao & Gao, Peng & Zhang, Lunxiang & Dong, Hongsheng & Song, Yongchen, 2025. "Experimental analysis of the synergistic effect between geothermal temperature and depressurization rate in the geothermal-assisted production of natural gas hydrates," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 340(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:340:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225048042
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.139162
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544225048042
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2025.139162?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Liu, Yongge & Hou, Jian & Zhao, Haifeng & Liu, Xiaoyu & Xia, Zhizeng, 2018. "A method to recover natural gas hydrates with geothermal energy conveyed by CO2," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 265-278.
    2. Liu, Yongge & Hou, Jian & Zhao, Haifeng & Liu, Xiaoyu & Xia, Zhizeng, 2019. "Numerical simulation of simultaneous exploitation of geothermal energy and natural gas hydrates by water injection into a geothermal heat exchange well," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 467-481.
    3. Wang, Bin & Liu, Shuyang & Wang, Pengfei, 2022. "Microwave-assisted high-efficient gas production of depressurization-induced methane hydrate exploitation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 247(C).
    4. Hussain, Akhtar & Arif, Syed Muhammad & Aslam, Muhammad, 2017. "Emerging renewable and sustainable energy technologies: State of the art," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 12-28.
    5. He, Juan & Li, Xiaosen & Chen, Zhaoyang & Li, Qingping & Zhang, Yu & Wang, Yi & Xia, Zhiming & You, Changyu, 2021. "Combined styles of depressurization and electrical heating for methane hydrate production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(PA).
    6. Shi, Kangji & Wang, Zifei & Jia, Yuxin & Li, Qingping & Lv, Xin & Wang, Tian & Zhang, Lunxiang & Liu, Yu & Zhao, Jiafei & Song, Yongchen & Yang, Lei, 2022. "Effects of the vertical heterogeneity on the gas production behavior from hydrate reservoirs simulated by the fine sediments from the South China Sea," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    7. Qu, Aoxing & Guan, Dawei & Jiang, Zhibo & Fan, Qi & Li, Qingping & Zhang, Lunxiang & Zhao, Jiafei & Yang, Lei & Song, Yongchen, 2023. "Sensible heat aided gas production from gas hydrate with an underlying water-rich shallow gas layer," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    8. Yang, Lei & Wang, Zifei & Shi, Kangji & Ge, Yang & Li, Qingping & Leng, Shudong & Zhou, Yi & Zhang, Lunxiang & Zhao, Jiafei & Song, Yongchen, 2024. "Upward migration of the shallow gas enhances the production behavior from the vertical heterogeneous hydrate-bearing marine sediments," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).
    9. Wei, Rupeng & Xia, Yongqiang & Wang, Zifei & Li, Qingping & Lv, Xin & Leng, Shudong & Zhang, Lunxiang & Zhang, Yi & Xiao, Bo & Yang, Shengxiong & Yang, Lei & Zhao, Jiafei & Song, Yongchen, 2022. "Long-term numerical simulation of a joint production of gas hydrate and underlying shallow gas through dual horizontal wells in the South China Sea," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    10. Wan, Qing-Cui & Si, Hu & Li, Bo & Yin, Zhen-Yuan & Gao, Qiang & Liu, Shu & Han, Xiao & Chen, Ling-Ling, 2020. "Energy recovery enhancement from gas hydrate based on the optimization of thermal stimulation modes and depressurization," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    11. Guo, Xianwei & Xu, Lei & Wang, Bin & Sun, Lingjie & Liu, Yulong & Wei, Rupeng & Yang, Lei & Zhao, Jiafei, 2020. "Optimized gas and water production from water-saturated hydrate-bearing sediment through step-wise depressurization combined with thermal stimulation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    12. Yang, Lei & Shi, Kangji & Qu, Aoxing & Liang, Huiyong & Li, Qingping & Lv, Xin & Leng, Shudong & Liu, Yanzhen & Zhang, Lunxiang & Liu, Yu & Xiao, Bo & Yang, Shengxiong & Zhao, Jiafei & Song, Yongchen, 2023. "The locally varying thermodynamic driving force dominates the gas production efficiency from natural gas hydrate-bearing marine sediments," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    13. Zhao, Jiafei & Liu, Yulong & Guo, Xianwei & Wei, Rupeng & Yu, Tianbo & Xu, Lei & Sun, Lingjie & Yang, Lei, 2020. "Gas production behavior from hydrate-bearing fine natural sediments through optimized step-wise depressurization," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    14. Wang, Yi & Feng, Jing-Chun & Li, Xiao-Sen & Zhan, Lei & Li, Xiao-Yan, 2018. "Pilot-scale experimental evaluation of gas recovery from methane hydrate using cycling-depressurization scheme," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 835-844.
    15. Gong, Guangjun & Yang, Mingjun & Pang, Weixin & Zheng, Jia-nan & Song, Yongchen, 2024. "Dynamic optimization of real-time depressurization pathways in hydrate-bearing South Sea clay reservoirs," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    16. Feng, Jing-Chun & Wang, Yi & Li, Xiao-Sen & Li, Gang & Chen, Zhao-Yang, 2015. "Production behaviors and heat transfer characteristics of methane hydrate dissociation by depressurization in conjunction with warm water stimulation with dual horizontal wells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 315-324.
    17. Wu, Mingyu & Sun, Huiru & Liu, Qingbin & Lv, Xin & Chen, Bingbing & Yang, Mingjun & Song, Yongchen, 2025. "Enhancing CO2 sequestration safety with hydrate caps: A comparative study of CO2 injection modes and saturation effects," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    18. Kou, Xuan & Li, Xiao-Sen & Wang, Yi & Zhang, Yu & Chen, Zhao-Yang, 2020. "Distribution and reformation characteristics of gas hydrate during hydrate dissociation by thermal stimulation and depressurization methods," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shi, Kangji & Wang, Zifei & Jia, Yuxin & Li, Qingping & Lv, Xin & Wang, Tian & Zhang, Lunxiang & Liu, Yu & Zhao, Jiafei & Song, Yongchen & Yang, Lei, 2022. "Effects of the vertical heterogeneity on the gas production behavior from hydrate reservoirs simulated by the fine sediments from the South China Sea," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    2. Yang, Lei & Shi, Kangji & Qu, Aoxing & Liang, Huiyong & Li, Qingping & Lv, Xin & Leng, Shudong & Liu, Yanzhen & Zhang, Lunxiang & Liu, Yu & Xiao, Bo & Yang, Shengxiong & Zhao, Jiafei & Song, Yongchen, 2023. "The locally varying thermodynamic driving force dominates the gas production efficiency from natural gas hydrate-bearing marine sediments," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    3. Yang, Lei & Wang, Zifei & Shi, Kangji & Ge, Yang & Li, Qingping & Leng, Shudong & Zhou, Yi & Zhang, Lunxiang & Zhao, Jiafei & Song, Yongchen, 2024. "Upward migration of the shallow gas enhances the production behavior from the vertical heterogeneous hydrate-bearing marine sediments," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).
    4. Guan, Dawei & Qu, Aoxing & Gao, Peng & Fan, Qi & Li, Qingping & Zhang, Lunxiang & Zhao, Jiafei & Song, Yongchen & Yang, Lei, 2023. "Improved temperature distribution upon varying gas producing channel in gas hydrate reservoir: Insights from the Joule-Thomson effect," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 348(C).
    5. Yao, Yuanxin & Niu, Mengya & Zi, Mucong & Sun, Yi-Fei & Chen, Daoyi, 2025. "Coupling depressurization and flue gas flooding to enhance CH4 recovery and CO2 sequestration in hydrate-bearing sediments: Pilot-scale experimental evaluation at marine conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 333(C).
    6. Cao, Xinxin & Sun, Jiaxin & Qin, Fanfan & Ning, Fulong & Mao, Peixiao & Gu, Yuhang & Li, Yanlong & Zhang, Heen & Yu, Yanjiang & Wu, Nengyou, 2023. "Numerical analysis on gas production performance by using a multilateral well system at the first offshore hydrate production test site in the Shenhu area," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    7. Guan, Dawei & Qu, Aoxing & Wang, Zifei & Lv, Xin & Li, Qingping & Leng, Shudong & Xiao, Bo & Zhang, Lunxiang & Zhao, Jiafei & Yang, Lei & Song, Yongchen, 2023. "Fluid flow-induced fine particle migration and its effects on gas and water production behavior from gas hydrate reservoir," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 331(C).
    8. Qu, Aoxing & Guan, Dawei & Jiang, Zhibo & Fan, Qi & Li, Qingping & Zhang, Lunxiang & Zhao, Jiafei & Yang, Lei & Song, Yongchen, 2023. "Sensible heat aided gas production from gas hydrate with an underlying water-rich shallow gas layer," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    9. He, Juan & Li, Xiaosen & Chen, Zhaoyang & You, Changyu & Peng, Hao & Zhang, Zhiwen, 2022. "Sustainable hydrate production using intermittent depressurization in hydrate-bearing reservoirs connected with water layers," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(PA).
    10. He, Juan & Li, Xiaosen & Chen, Zhaoyang & Huang, Xiaoliang & Shen, Pengfei, 2023. "Effect of heterogeneous hydrate distribution on hydrate production under different hole combinations," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
    11. Wei, Rupeng & Xia, Yongqiang & Qu, Aoxing & Fan, Qi & Li, Qingping & Lv, Xin & Leng, Shudong & Li, Xingbo & Zhang, Lunxiang & Zhang, Yi & Zhao, Jiafei & Yang, Lei & Sun, Xiang & Song, Yongchen, 2024. "Sustained production of gas hydrate through hybrid depressurization scheme with enhanced energy efficiency and mitigated ice blockage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 289(C).
    12. Lu, Nu & Hou, Jian & Liu, Yongge & Barrufet, Maria A. & Bai, Yajie & Ji, Yunkai & Zhao, Ermeng & Chen, Weiqing & Zhou, Kang, 2019. "Revised inflow performance relationship for productivity prediction and energy evaluation based on stage characteristics of Class III methane hydrate deposits," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    13. Lin, Decai & Liu, Jia & Lu, Jingsheng & Ma, Kunlin & Zhang, Qi & Li, Dongliang & Xia, Zhiming & Li, Xiaosen & Liang, Deqing, 2025. "Convection-conduction heat transfer and seepage in hydrate-bearing sandy sediments under hot fluid injection: A thermo-hydro-chemical perspective," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 331(C).
    14. Yang, Mingjun & Wang, Xinru & Pang, Weixin & Li, Kehan & Yu, Tao & Chen, Bingbing & Song, Yongchen, 2023. "The inhibit behavior of fluids migration on gas hydrate re-formation in depressurized-decomposed-reservoir," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    15. Gong, Guangjun & Yang, Mingjun & Pang, Weixin & Zheng, Jia-nan & Song, Yongchen, 2024. "Dynamic optimization of real-time depressurization pathways in hydrate-bearing South Sea clay reservoirs," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    16. Wang, Xiao-Hui & Chen, Yun & Li, Xing-Xun & Xu, Qiang & Kan, Jing-Yu & Sun, Chang-Yu & Chen, Guang-Jin, 2021. "An exergy-based energy efficiency analysis on gas production from gas hydrates reservoir by brine stimulation combined depressurization method," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    17. Xia, Yongqiang & Yu, Tao & Yang, Lei & Chen, Bingbing & Jiang, Lanlan & Yang, Mingjun & Song, Yongchen, 2025. "Multi-state CO2 distribution patterns for subsea carbon sequestration assisted by large-scale CO2 hydrate caps," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    18. Yin, Faling & Gao, Yonghai & Zhang, Heen & Sun, Baojiang & Chen, Ye & Gao, Dongzhi & Zhao, Xinxin, 2022. "Comprehensive evaluation of gas production efficiency and reservoir stability of horizontal well with different depressurization methods in low permeability hydrate reservoir," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PE).
    19. Olga Gaidukova & Sergey Misyura & Vladimir Morozov & Pavel Strizhak, 2023. "Gas Hydrates: Applications and Advantages," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-19, March.
    20. Jyoti Shanker Pandey & Charilaos Karantonidis & Adam Paul Karcz & Nicolas von Solms, 2020. "Enhanced CH 4 -CO 2 Hydrate Swapping in the Presence of Low Dosage Methanol," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-30, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:340:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225048042. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.