Experimental simulations and methods for natural gas hydrate analysis in China

ABSTRACT: This paper provides an overview of the developments in analytical and testing methods and experimental simulations on gas hydrate in China. In the laboratory, the analyses and experiments of gas hydrate can provide useful parameters for hydrate exploration and exploitation. In recent years, modern analytical instruments and techniques, including Laser Raman spectroscopy (Raman), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray computed tomography (X-CT), scanning electron microscope (SEM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high pressure differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), were applied in the study of structure, formation mechanisms, phase equilibrium, thermal physical properties and so forth of gas hydrates. The detection technology and time-domain reflectometry (TDR) technique are integrated to the experimental devices to study the physical parameters of gas hydrates, such as the acoustics, resistivity, thermal and mechanical properties. It is believed that the various analytical techniques together with the experimental simulations from large-scale to micro-scale on gas hydrate will play a significant role and provide a powerful support for future gas hydrate researches.