Exploring the Temporal Dissolution of Gas Hydrates in the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica through Fluid Flow Simulations

Numerical models were used to study gas hydrates and free gas stability over time in gas hydrate-bearing sediments off the Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland Islands, for the first time. Seismic data aided in creating a marine subsurface model, and ANSYS-Fluent was employed for multiphase simulations. Results revealed that in-situ faults played a crucial role in gas hydrate distribution, with CH4 being rapidly drained off, and CO2 and H2 emitted through the faults. Faults acted as fluid conduits, leading to high CO2 concentrations nearby. Dissolved methane accumulated in isolated clusters within marine sediments, with varying dissolution times depending on gas hydrate concentrations. This complex interplay of faults, fluid availability, bathymetry, and gas hydrate concentrations significantly influenced methane's fate and transport in marine environments.