New X-Ray Microtomography Setups and Optimal Scan Conditions to Investigate Methane Hydrate-Bearing Sand Microstructure

• Published in: Geotechnical Testing Journal
• Main Authors: Le, Thi Xiu, Aimedieu, Patrick, Bornert, Michel, Chabot, Baptiste, King, Andrew, Tang, Anh Minh
• Other Authors: Laboratoire Navier (NAVIER UMR 8205), École des Ponts ParisTech (ENPC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Gustave Eiffel, Synchrotron SOLEIL (SSOLEIL), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2021
• Subjects: Methane hydrate-bearing sand; X-ray computed tomography (XRCT); synchrotron XRCT; experimental setups; scans conditions; high pressure; low temperature; [SPI.GCIV.GEOTECH]Engineering Sciences [physics]/Civil Engineering/Géotechnique; Methane hydrate; permafrost
• Online Access: https://hal-enpc.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03053626; https://hal-enpc.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03053626/document; https://hal-enpc.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03053626/file/GTJ-2019-0355-HAL.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ20190355

International audience Methane hydrates, naturally formed at high pressure and low temperature in marine and permafrost sediments, represent a great potential energy resource but also a considerable geo-hazard and climate change source. Investigating the grain-scale morphology of methane hydrate-bearing sandy sediments is crucial for the interpretation of geophysical data and reservoir-scale simulations in the scope of methane gas production as methane hydrate morphologies and distribution within the porous space significantly impact their macroscopic physical/mechanical properties. X-ray computed tomography (XRCT) and Synchrotron X-Ray computed tomography (SXRCT) are commonly used to analyze the microstructure of geo-materials. However, methane hydrates exist only at high pressure (up to several MPa) and low temperature (a few °C). This article describes the development of three experimental setups, which aim at creating methane hydrates in sandy sediment, adapted to XRCT and SXRCT observations. The advantages and drawbacks of each setup are discussed. The discussions focus on the effects of the choice of the system to control temperature and pressure on the quality of images. The obtained results would be useful for future works involving temperature and/or pressure control systems adapted to XRCT and SXRCT observations of various geo-materials.