US 11,988,074 B2
Suction cylinder exploitation device and method for marine natural gas hydrates
Xuezhen Wu, Minhou Fujian (CN); Dayong Li, Minhou Fujian (CN); and Yujing Jiang, Minhou Fujian (CN)
Assigned to FU ZHOU UNIVERSITY, Minhou Fujian (CN)
Appl. No. 17/272,929
Filed by FU ZHOU UNIVERSITY, Minhou Fujian (CN)
PCT Filed Jan. 4, 2021, PCT No. PCT/CN2021/070113
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 23, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/126801, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 23, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 202011506719.4 (CN), filed on Dec. 18, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0304383 A1, Sep. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. E21B 41/00 (2006.01); E21B 7/18 (2006.01); E21B 21/00 (2006.01); E21B 33/127 (2006.01); E21B 43/08 (2006.01); E21B 43/12 (2006.01); E21B 43/24 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 41/0099 (2020.05) [E21B 7/185 (2013.01); E21B 21/001 (2013.01); E21B 33/127 (2013.01); E21B 43/08 (2013.01); E21B 43/128 (2013.01); E21B 43/2401 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A suction cylinder exploitation device for marine natural gas hydrates, comprising an exploitation cylinder capable of sinking into a stratum below a seabed, a water pump, a sand control device and a gas-liquid lifting system, wherein:
the exploitation cylinder is a cylindrical structure with an upper side sealed and a lower side not sealed, and comprises a top plate and a vertical cylinder wall; the water pump is communicated with an inner cavity of a cylinder body and is able to discharge liquid out of the exploitation cylinder to reduce a pressure in the exploitation cylinder, controlling the sinking of the exploitation cylinder in the formation and carrying the sand control device and the gas-liquid lifting system into one or any combination of a natural gas hydrate reservoir, a natural gas hydrate and free gas mixture reservoir, and a free natural gas reservoir below the seabed;
at least one cavity enclosed between the exploitation cylinder and the sand control device, and the sand control device allows one or both combinations of liquid, gas to pass through to enter the cavity and is able to filter out silt; the cavity is communicated with at least one channel;
the gas-liquid lifting system comprises at least one lifting power device, which has an end connected to the cavity and an end connected to an offshore processing system, and is used to lift one or both combinations of the liquid, gas in the cavity; when the liquid and/or gas is lifted, a pressure in the cavity is reduced to reduce a pressure of the stratum around to promote natural gas hydrates to be decomposed into water and natural gas, which enter the cavity through the sand control device under the effect of a pressure difference, so that exploitation of the natural gas hydrates is realized;
the channel includes a water pipe and a gas pipe; the water pipe has an end connected to the lifting power device and an end connected to an upper portion of the exploitation cylinder; the gas pipe has an end connected to the cavity and an end connected to an upper portion of the exploitation cylinder to collect gas; under the effect of formation pressure and gravity, formation fluid enters the cavity, the liquid in the cavity flows downward and is pressed into the water pipe to be lifted by the lifting power device; the gas in the cavity flows upwards through the gas pipe; the lifting power device is an electric pump, and the electric pump is an electric immersible centrifugal pump, an electric immersible screw pump, a mud pump, or a combination of these three pumps;
The cavity is formed in an outer side of the vertical cylinder wall of the exploitation cylinder or in an internal space of the exploitation cylinder;
When the cavity is formed in an outer side of the vertical cylinder wall of the exploitation cylinder; the exploitation cylinder has a perforated pipe wall, and a hole is formed in the perforated pipe wall; the sand control device is one or both combinations arranged in the hole, covering the hole; the perforated pipe wall has a permeable and protective function, allows liquid and gas to pass through, and protects the sand control device against erosion damage from the formation pressure and fluid; and the gas and liquid enter the cavity in the outer side of the vertical cylinder wall through the perforated pipe wall and the sand control device;
When the cavity is formed in an internal space of the exploitation cylinder, the stratum in the internal space is cleared out of the cylinder through a jet drilling system, and the cavity is defined by the top plate, the vertical cylinder wall and a sealing bottom of the exploitation cylinder; a hole is formed in a lower portion of the vertical cylinder wall, the sand control device is one or both combinations arranged in the hole, covering the hole; a vertical well wall at this position has a permeable and protective function, allows liquid and gas to pass through, and protects the sand control device against erosion damage from the formation pressure and fluid; and the gas and liquid enter the cavity in the internal space of the exploitation cylinder through the vertical well wall and the sand control device.