Depressurized production from natural gas hydrates can lead to fluid flow, heat transfer, and geomechanical changes in the reservoir. For a submarine hydrate-bearing slope, these changes could potentially be catastrophic if they trigger large seafloor slides. To predict submarine slope instability, a numerical model has been developed for simplified thermo-hydro-mechanical coupled analysis. Within this framework, the changes in the mechanical behavior of the hydrate reservoir and changes in hydrate saturation and heat transfer can all be determined simultaneously during hydrate dissociation. Combined with finite element strength reduction analysis, the stability of submarine slopes during hydrate dissociation has been evaluated. Natural gas production may lead to slope instability with potential slip surfaces migrating to shallow levels in the slope.
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Translated from Osnovaniya, Fundamenty i Mekhanika Gruntov, No. 6, November-December, 2022.
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Li, K., Kong, L., Sun, KM. et al. Study on the Stability of Submarine Hydrate-Bearing Slope Due to Depressurized Production. Soil Mech Found Eng 59, 591–598 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11204-023-09855-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11204-023-09855-6