Non-Fickian Diffusion and the Accumulation of Methane Bubbles in Deep-Water Sediments

Details Non-Fickian Diffusion and the Accumulation of Methane Bubbles in Deep-Water Sediments Non-Fickian Diffusion and the Accumulation of Methane Bubbles in Deep-Water Sediments

2010-11-29

arxiv.org/abs/1011.6345v4

Physics

Condensed Matter

Statistical Mechanics

6 pages, 3 figures, to be submitted to Geophys. Res. Lett

Scientific paper

In the absence of fractures, methane bubbles in deep-water sediments are immovably trapped within a porous matrix by surface tension. The dominant mechanism of transfer of gas mass therefore becomes the diffusion of gas molecules through porewater. The accurate description of this process requires non-Fickian diffusion to be accounted for, including both thermodiffusion and gravitational action. We evaluate the diffusive flux of aqueous methane considering non-Fickian diffusion and predict the existence of bubble mass accumulation zones within deep-water sediments. The occurrence of these may be highly significant in the assessment of methane hydrate reservoirs or inventories as they could occur independently of the hydrate stability zone, yet may mimic the bottom-simulating-reflector which is commonly used to identify the base of the zone.

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