Volume 4: Innovative Solutions for Energy Transitions: Part III

Holistic Recognition of Methane Hydrate in Marine Sediments by X-Ray CT Jia-nan Zheng, Mingjun Yang

Abstract

Methane hydrate is important energy source in the future. The recognition of methane hydrate in marine sediments is a tough task all the time. We employed a mircofocus X-ray CT to investigate the methane hydrate in South China Sea sediments. The CT images indicate that the various components are difficult to be distinguished because of the limitation of CT resolution, but the change of gray distribution can be used to recognize the appearance of methane hydrate. The formation of hydrates caused the density change of sediment sample, which can be reflected on the CT images. The pixel number change of about 13% may correspond to the hydrate saturation formed in the sediments. The results of this study is of significance to the holistic recognition of methane in marine sediments.

Keywords Methane hydrate, marine sediment, CT, density