Correlation of Clay Minerals and Gas Hydrate Saturation in Sediments from the Hydrate Ridge, Eastern Pacific Ocean

doi:10.19657/j.geoscience.1000-8527.2021.175

Abstract

Abstract:

To understand the correlation between clay minerals and gas hydrate saturation in hydrate reservoir strata, we analyzed the clay minerals in sediments from three drillholes (1245B, 1244C and 1251B) from the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 204 on the Hydrate Ridge, Eastern Pacific Ocean. Montmorillonite, illite and chlorite are the main clay mineral components (average 40.3%, 33.4% and 21.4%, respectively), and kaolinite is minor (average 4.9%). The vertical distribution patterns of illite, chlorite and kaolinite are similar, opposite to that of montmorillonite. The data show positive correlation between hydrate saturation and montmorillonite content in the three holes, and the degree of positive correlation increases with depth, which is dominated by fine-grained sediments (R = 0.55 - 0.97). Meanwhile, gas hydrate saturation is negatively correlated with illite, chlorite and kaolinite. The differences of hydrate reservoir thickness and distribution patterns of hydrate saturation in the three holes suggest complex controlling factors for hydrate saturation, including mainly (1) gas-fluid supply and migration and (2) lithology. Correlation between montmorillonite content and hydrate saturation in the fine-sediment interval might belong to subordinate influence. In order to test any relationship between montmorillonite and hydrate saturation in other regions, we used the records from drillhole 17-07P in the Krishna-Godavari Basin (offshore India) for comparison with our data. Results indicate that the values of sand components in reservoir strata of this region are significantly higher than that on the Hydrate Ridge, showing a positive correlation between hydrate saturation and montmorillonite content in the sand reservoir strata. The comparison results indicate that the hydrate saturation controlling factors vary between two areas. In view of the difference between two types of correlation (i.e., between the montmorillonite content and hydrate saturation, and between the contents of illite, chlorite and kaolinite and hydrate saturation) in the fine-grained sediments, we inferred that montmorillonite is conducive to the hydrate formation due to its special layered crystal structure and surface chemical properties (negative charge and exchangeable hydrate cation in the interlayer surface), which benefits natural gas hydrate formation and accumulation. The properties of illite, chlorite and kaolinite are different from montmorillonite (weaker water absorption, and swelling and methane adsorption capacity than montmorillonite), and is inconducive to natural gas hydrate accumulation.

Key words: clay mineral, hydrate saturation, hydrate reservoir, Hydrate Ridge, ODP Leg 204

CLC Number:

SHANG Wei, SU Xin, BAI Chenyang, CUI Hongpeng. Correlation of Clay Minerals and Gas Hydrate Saturation in Sediments from the Hydrate Ridge, Eastern Pacific Ocean[J]. Geoscience, 2022, 36(01): 159-171.

Figures/Tables 8

Fig.1 Structural and site locations of ODP Leg 204 (the studied three drillholes shown in red dots;modified after ref.[16])

Table 1 Information of three ODP Leg 204 drillholes and main lithology of gas hydrate reservoir strata (from refs. [22⇓-24])

ODP钻孔	位置(水深/m)	储层深度/mbsf		岩性单元	储层岩性
ODP钻孔	位置(水深/m)	顶部	底部	岩性单元	储层岩性
1245B	44.586° N, 125.148° W (870.0)	50.75	76.00	II	深绿灰色含硅藻黏土和粉砂质黏土,与细砂互层
1245B	44.586° N, 125.148° W (870.0)	76.00	129.59	IIIA	深绿灰色富含超微化石、富硅藻黏土及粉砂质黏土,与薄层砂质粉砂、粉砂互层
1244C	44.586° N, 125.119° W (890.0)	48.30	69.00	I	深绿色灰色黏土夹粉砂质黏土、细粉砂薄层
1244C	44.586° N, 125.119° W (890.0)	69.00	125.80	II	深绿灰色粉砂质黏土夹细砂、粗粉砂薄层
1251B	44.570° N, 125.074° W (1216.0)	89.85	130.00	IC	黏土和粉砂质黏土互层组成,含丰富的硅藻、有孔虫等微体化石
1251B	44.570° N, 125.074° W (1216.0)	130.00	186.95	IIA	粉砂质黏土

Fig.2 Comparison of lithologic components (sand, silt and clay), clay mineral contents and gas hydrate saturation in the hydrate reservoir sequences in drillhole 1245B (hydrate saturation data from ref. [23])

Fig.3 Comparison of lithologic components (sand, silt and clay), clay mineral contents and gas hydrate saturation in the hydrate reservoir sequences in drillhole 1244C (hydrate saturation data from ref. [22])

Fig.4 Comparison of lithologic components (sand, silt and clay), clay mineral contents and gas hydrate saturation in the hydrate reservoir sequences in drillhole 1251B (hydrate saturation data from ref. [24])

Fig.5 Pearson correlation analysis of clay mineral content and hydrate saturation of all samples in drillholes 1244C, 1244C (no hydrate saturation data at 56.44 mbsf depth), 1245B, and 1251B

Table 2 Pearson correlation analysis of clay mineral content and hydrate saturation in the fine-grained lithologic intervals of the studied drillholes

钻孔	蒙脱石含量和水合物饱和度(R)	伊利石含量和水合物饱和度(R)	绿泥石含量和水合物饱和度(R)	高岭石含量和水合物饱和度(R)
1245B	0.60	-0.53	-0.53	-0.52
1244C	0.55	-0.68	0.03	-0.87
1251B	0.97	-0.99	-0.99	-0.60

Table 3 Comparison of gas hydrate saturation and montmorillonite contents in reservoir sequence with high and low sand content from drillhole 17-07P in the K-G Basin, offshore India (from ref. [7])

印度水合物钻区	钻孔	深度/mbsf	储层沉积粒度组分含量 (平均值)	蒙脱石/% (平均含量)	水合物饱和度/%	蒙脱石含量与水合物饱和度关系
K-G盆地	17-07P	282.10~282.30	砂23.6%,粉砂63.3%,黏土13.1%	0.4~1.0(0.7)	20~60	正相关
K-G盆地	17-07P	282.95~283.20	砂7.9%,粉砂76.1%,黏土16.0%	2.6~3.7(3.1)	20~50	负相关

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