Artificial Fracture Stimulation of Rock Subjected to Large Isotropic Confining Stresses in Saline Environments: Application in Deep-Sea Gas Hydrate Recovery

Abstract

The low permeability of gas hydrate deposits leads to poor extraction rates. Artificial fracture stimulation could significantly improve the recovery rate of an estimated 300 trillion m 3 of this untapped future energy source, which form in seabed sedimentary deposits. Because conventional methods of rock fragmentation are inapplicable in such deposits due to sudden release of energy that may impose the risk of methane release to the atmosphere, alternative rock fragmentation technologies are necessary for artificial fracture stimulation of gas hydrate deposits. We checked the effectiveness of a new hydrophobic non-explosive demolition agent as a rock fracturing technique, which could potent..