Influence of pressure on the formation process of CH4 hydrate in porous media below the freezing point

Abstract Natural gas hydrates are mainly stored in the pores of the sedimentary layer in permafrost regions, and the formation characters in porous media were particularly important for the exploitation and utilization of natural gas hydrates. So, it is essential to understand the formation process of methane hydrate in porous media below freezing point. In this study, the formation process of methane hydrate was studied in a closed system in porous media below freezing point. The results indicated that the initial pressure played an important role in the formation characteristics of methane hydrate in porous media below freezing point. The higher the initial pressure was, the larger the formation rate of methane hydrate. And the maximum formation rate attained 6.46 × 10 −4 mol/h when the initial pressure was 9.0 MPa under the same temperature and particle size conditions. Furthermore, the final conversion rate was larger at higher initial pressure and the final conversion rate attained 56.5% at an initial pressure of 9.0 MPa. Furthermore, the pressure disturbance could improve the formation process of methane hydrate and the final conversion rate was larger to some extent. The relevant results will provide a theoretical reference for natural gas hydrates exploitation.