Natural gas hydrate exploitation with reservoir stimulation technology: Status and perspectives
Abstract
Current exploitation of natural gas hydrate exhibits issues of low productivity, limited gas recovery rate, as well as unsatisfied input-output ratio, which is unfavorable for efficient production and further commercial development realization. Reservoir stimulation techniques applied in hydrate production still face challenges at both theoretical and technical levels. This paper systematically reviews representative reservoir stimulation technologies and their applications to evaluate current progress and future opportunities. Numerical simulations and laboratory investigations are comprehensively reviewed to summarize recent advances, identify existing limitations, and evaluate the potential application prospects of various stimulation techniques. On this basis, challenges and perspectives are discussed to point out potential approaches and development trends. It is recommended to establish a system of complex structure wells assisted with advanced stimulation techniques for higher productivity and target output ratio. This work provides a deeper understanding of control mechanisms underlying hydrate reservoir stimulation and facilitates the further commercial development of natural gas hydrate resources.
Document Type: Perspective
Cited as: Dong, L., Zhang, Y., Zhang, Y. Natural gas hydrate exploitation with reservoir stimulation technology: Status and perspectives. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2026, 21(1): 4-8. https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2026.07.02
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2026.07.02Keywords:
Natural gas hydrate, stimulation techniques, numerical modelling, experiment methods, artificial intelligenceReferences
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