Morphology of methane hydrate host sediments

PETR 30

Keith W. Jones, jones@bnl.gov, Laboratory for Earth and Environmental Sciences, Environmental Sciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Building 901A, Upton, NY 11973, Huan Feng, fengh@mail.montclair.edu, Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ 07043, Stanmire Tomov, Information Technology Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, William J. Winters, Woods Hole Science Center, U. S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole, MA 02543, Michael Eaton, meaton@bnl.gov, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Old Engineering Building, Stony Brook, NY 11794, and Devinder Mahajan, dmahajan@bnl.gov, Energy Science and Technology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973.
We measured the morphology of methane hydrate host sediments on the micrometer size scale using synchrotron computed microtomography (CMT) at the Brookhaven National Synchrotron Light Source. Sediments taken from locations at Georges Bank and the Blake Ridge were examined. Results of the tomographic analysis of material taken at a sub bottom depth of 667 m from the Blake Ridge site will be presented. The results include volume visualizations showing the relationship of the different size particles present in the sediments, porosity, 2-point correlation functions, connecting pathways through the sediment, tortuosity, and specific surface area. The feasibility of using the CMT technique for measurements of laboratory samples formed at realistic temperatures and pressures and core samples obtained from ocean sediments will be discussed. Work supported by the U. S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-98VH10886.
 

Symposium on Gas Hydrates and Clathrates
8:30 AM-11:15 AM, Monday, 14 March 2005 Hyatt Regency -- Madeleine C-D, Oral

Division of Petroleum Chemistry

The 229th ACS National Meeting, in San Diego, CA, March 13-17, 2005