Experimental investigation into gas migration mechanism in submarine sandy sediments at pore-scale
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Abstract
The dissociation of natural gas hydrate usually induces gas migration within shallow marine sediments, which has been widely reported to trigger geological hazards and submarine facility failure. To date, the mechanisms by which gas migration governs internal structural evolution and seafloor morphological changes remain poorly understood. This study investigates the gas migration behavior and associated morphological changes in sandy sediments using a novel experimental setup that integrates X-ray computed tomography scanning technology with a custom-built seepage apparatus. The apparatus enables gas injection with constant flow rate and real-time observation of the occurrence and migration process of gas within sediments. Experiments were conducted on Fujian sand with different particle sizes and gas flow rates, demonstrating that gas migration follows a particle-displacement pattern in fine-grained sediments and a pore-invasion pattern otherwise. The study further explores the dynamics of gas pocket formation, as well as the channel healing and re-opening behavior. The results demonstrate the porescale mechanism governing morphological evolution of seabed, with pockmarks and knolls at the surface and elongated chimney-like channels underneath. This work also highlights the advantage of X-ray computed tomography techniques for understanding gas migration processes in marine sediments.
Document Type: Original article
Cited as: Sun, W., Kong, D., Li, Z., Peng, Y., Chen, Y., Cheng, Y. P., Zhu, B. Experimental investigation into gas migration mechanism in submarine sandy sediments at pore-scale. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2025, 17(1): 30-42. https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2025.07.03
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2025.07.03
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