Dielectric method of high-resolution gas hydrate estimation

In-situ dielectric properties of natural gas hydrate are measured for the first time in the Mallik 5L-38 Well in the Mackenzie Delta, Canada. The average dielectric constant of the hydrate zones is 9, ranging from 5 to 20. The average resistivity is > 5 ohm. m in the hydrate zones, ranging from 2 to 10 ohm. m at a 1.1 GHz dielectric tool frequency. The dielectric logs show similar trends with sonic and induction resistivity logs, but exhibits inherently higher vertical resolution (< 5 cm). The average in-situ hydrate saturation in the well is about 70 %, ranging from 20 % to 95 %. The dielectric estimates are overall in agreement with induction estimates but the induction log tends to overestimate hydrate content up to 15 %. Dielectric estimates could be used as a better proxy of in-situ hydrate saturation in modeling hydrate dynamics. The fine-scale structure in hydrate zones could help reveal hydrate formation history.