Feasibility Analysis of Heat Generation Powders Thermal Stimulation in Low-Temperature Reservoirs

Natural gas hydrates have recently garnered extensive attention from both governmental and industrial sectors as a promising sustainable alternative energy resource. The decomposition process of natural gas hydrates is strongly endothermic, which leads to a rapid decrease in reservoir temperature. Under low-temperature reservoir conditions, this can result in the formation of ice, reducing reservoir permeability and consequently impairing natural gas production. Conventional thermal recovery methods, such as hot fluid injection and electrical heating, are associated with several limitations, including low thermal efficiency, non-uniform heat distribution, and excessive water production. To overcome these challenges, this research investigates the applicability of a previously proposed approach known as Heat-Generation Powder Thermal Stimulation (HPTS) in two low-temperature reservoir scenarios: 0.6 °C and 3.3 °C. During experimental testing, no sub-zero temperatures were detected in either reservoir setup. Furthermore, it was observed that the heat derived from calcium oxide was efficiently transferred to deeper sections of the reservoir. In comparison with the higher temperature group, the lower temperature group exhibited a prolonged exothermic reaction duration, which contributed to an increase in thermal utilization efficiency and a wider range of thermal diffusion within the reservoir. Importantly, both groups maintained notably high levels of overall thermal efficiency. The HPTS method demonstrates consistently high thermal utilization efficiency, effectively supplements reservoir energy, mitigates ice-related issues in low-temperature environments, and offers a innovative technique for the extraction of natural gas hydrates.