Regular Pore Network Model to Study Dynamic Permeability Evolution in Hydrate-Bearing Sediments

Permeability is a key parameter to characterize fluid flow in hydrate-bearing sediments. Figuring out dynamic permeability evolution is of great importance for the effective development of hydrate-bearing deposits. In this paper, a grain-coating hydrate-bearing regular pore network model with complex pore throat cross-sections is first constructed. Afterward, the dynamic permeability evolution regularity is calculated. After the validation, the effects of initial aspect ratio, coordination number, and pore throat cross-sections on dynamic permeability evolution are investigated. The results show that hydrate narrows the effective flow space, which results in the exponential decrease of dynamic permeability with the increased hydrate saturation. The larger initial aspect ratio aggravates the heterogeneity of the pore network, resulting in a faster permeability decline rate. However, hydrate weakens the effect of initial aspect ratio on dynamic permeability evolution since the physical hydrate thickness in large pore bodies and throats is larger. The high initial coordination number reduces the dynamic permeability decline rate with the increased hydrate saturation since the higher coordination number increases the topology of the network, while hydrate compresses or blocks the effective pore throat space. Pore throat cross-sections have nothing to do with dynamic permeability evolution, but they dramatically influence the absolute permeability values. This study provides a novel insight into dynamic permeability evolution in hydrate-bearing sediments.