Collaborative Research: Physical and Chemical Constraints on Fluxes at LExEn Gas Hydrate Sites in the Gulf of Mexico

OCE-0118101摘要；“LExEn和墨西哥湾拟议ODP站点通量的物理和化学限制”拟议项目将侧重于揭示中等和高通量站点及其之间的天然气水合物储层动态。通过1.)用渗透通量仪直接测量流体通量，2)获取高分辨率热流数据，3)使用孔隙水和固相替代气体通量，4)用高分辨率深尾啁声剖面成像通量管道，该研究将约束通量的时空变化，这对天然气水合物的形成和长期稳定至关重要。研究结果验证了一个假设，即能量、流体和气体通量的可量化空间变化与可观测到的自由气体和天然气水合物分布变化有关。这些研究地点与美国国家科学基金会资助的“极端环境中的生命”项目选择的两个重点微生物研究地点相吻合。研究地点也与墨西哥湾天然气水合物钻探的两个拟议地点相吻合，该项目将为拟议的钻探提供额外的现场调查数据。

Abstract of OCE-0118101; "Physical and Chemical constraints on fluxes at LExEn and proposed ODP sites in the Gulf of Mexico"The proposed project will focus on unraveling the dynamics of the gas hydrate reservoir at and between moderate and high flux sites. Through 1.) direct measurement of fluid flux with osmotic flux meters, 2) acquisition of high resolution heat flow data, 3) use of porewater and solid-phase proxies for gas flux and 4) imaging of flux conduits with high-resolution, deep-tow Chirp profiles, the study will constrain spatial and temporal variations in fluxes critical to the formation and long-term stability of gas hydrates. The results provide a test of the hypothesis that quantifiable spatial variations in energy, fluid and gas flux are related to observable changes in the distribution of free gas and gas hydrate. The study sites coincide with two sites chosen for focused microbiological research as part of an NSF funded Life in Extreme Environments project. The study sites also coincide with two sites proposed for Gulf of Mexico gas hydrates drilling and the project will provide additional site survey data for the proposed drilling.