Carbon dioxide storage as clathrate hydrate

每年全球二氧化碳气体排放量为230亿公吨，加拿大是这一惊人数字的十大贡献者之一。捕获和储存二氧化碳，即所谓的碳封存，可以帮助减少我们的大气排放，从而减缓全球气候变化。当我们的碳排放量在上升时，我们对能源的需求也在上升。天然气水合物含有丰富的天然气，被认为是未来重要和可行的能源。将二氧化碳储存为笼形水合物（将气体分子以非常紧密的形式包裹在氢键合的水分子晶格内的固体晶体化合物），同时将甲烷水合物就地转化为天然气的提议非常有吸引力。这种方法具有双重优势，即减少了对大气的碳排放，同时有助于天然气水合物的开采。甲烷水合物向二氧化碳水合物的转化受到两种气体之间接触的限制，因此高度依赖于地层界面和气体移动通过储层的能力。我们的创新研究计划旨在表征和评估甲烷气体存在下的二氧化碳水合物形成，重点是这些系统的渗透性。这项调查的水合物-沉积物混合物的相对未开发的地区，结合了实验和理论的方法，从样品规模的储层规模，以获得一个综合的理解渗透率和二氧化碳水合物的形成对天然气的生产水合物储层在二氧化碳封存。我们的研究结果将有助于制定真实的战略，减少温室气体排放，同时满足我们的能源需求;从而不仅使能源部门受益，而且使广大人民受益。

Annual world wide emissions of carbon dioxide gas are 23 billion metric tons and Canada is one of the top ten contributors to this staggering number. The capture and storage of carbon dioxide, known as carbon sequestration, can assist in reducing our atmospheric emissions and thus mitigating global climate change. While our carbon emissions are rising, so to is our demand for energy. Gas hydrates contain ample natural gas to be considered a significant and viable energy source for the future. The proposition of storing carbon dioxide as clathrate hydrate (solid crystalline compounds that encages gasmolecules inside the lattice of hydrogen bonded water molecules in a very compact form) with simultaneous conversion of in situ methane hydrates into natural gas is extremely appealing. This methodology offers a double advantage of reducing carbon emissions to the atmosphere while assisting in gas hydrate exploitation. The conversion of methane hydrate to carbon dioxide hydrate is limited by the contact between the two gases, and thus highly dependent on the formation interfaces and ability of gases to move through the reservoirs. Our innovative research program aims to characterize and assess carbon dioxide hydrate formation in the presence of methane gas, with an emphasis on the permeability of these systems. This investigation into the relatively unexplored area of hydrate-sediment mixtures, combines an experimental and theoretical approach, from the sample scale to the reservoir scale, to garner an integrated understanding of the effects of permeability and carbon dioxide hydrate formation on the production of natural gas from hydrate reservoirs during simultaneouscarbon dioxide sequestration. Our results will contribute towards developing real strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while still meeting our energy needs; thus benefiting not only the energy sector but also the population in general.