This work is based on modelling studies in an axisymmetric framework. The thermal stimulation of hydrated sediment is taken to occur by a centrally placed heat source. The model includes the hydrate dissociation and its effect on sediment bed deformation and resulting effect on gas production. A finite element package was customized to simulate the gas production from natural gas hydrate by considering the deformation of submarine bed. Three sediment models have been used to simulate gas production. The effect of sediment deformation on gas production by thermal stimulation is studied. Gas production rate is found to increase with an increase in the source temperature. Porosity of the sediment and saturation of the hydrate both have been found to significantly influence the rate of gas production. 1. Introduction Energy demand is on the rise globally but the production rates of major fossil fuels are going down. Several analysts predict a drastic reduction in energy production due to diminishing reserve of fossil fuels. The major result from the global analysis is that world oil production peaked in 2006. Production has started to decline at a rate of several percentages per year. This necessitates a search for commercially viable and clean source of energy capable of meeting future energy demands. Natural gas hydrate (NGH) is one of the possible energy sources to meet these requirements. It is a highly condensed form of natural gas formed by capture of natural gas molecules in a cage of water molecules: each cubic meter of natural gas hydrate yields about 160 cubic meter of gas at STP. A large amount of natural gas hydrate exists on our planet. Such deposits are found both on land (in the permafrost region), and offshore (in the submarine sediment). Over 230 gas hydrate deposits have been found globally. Gas hydrates have also been located in the coastal regions of India [1]. Needless to say, the vastness of gas hydrates has attracted global attention for its exploration and exploitation for future energy supply. It is predicted that utilization of even 17% to 20% of this resource could meet the energy demands for next 200 years [2]. Methods suggested for the production of natural gas from gas hydrate include depressurization, thermal stimulation, chemical inhibitor injection, and CO2 sequestration. Among these, depressurization and thermal stimulation have been considered to be the most economical, though other methods are under investigation. The type of method depends on the reservoir characteristics. Due to less energy input for depressurization,
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