Abstract: Natural gas hydrate (NGH), with huge reserves, is a type of highly efficient and clean energy producing hardly any burning waste. In order to work out a practical NGH exploitation scheme, the accumulation features of NGH were identified, and the exploitation methods tested in laboratory were compared. Finally, a well-factory NGH exploitation scheme was proposed on the basis of the experiment of CH₄ displacement by CO₂ emulsion and the ICP shale oil extraction technology, which takes possible formation damage into account. The study results reveal that the frozen wall and heating well pattern arrangement, as core processes of ICP technology, can effectively prevent heat loss and provide heat consistently for NGH decomposition. The CO₂ emulsion replacement technology can generate CO₂ hydrate while effectively producing CH₄, so that the formation can be protected from damage due to NGH decomposition. The injection and production monitoring system can monitor the production process in a real-time manner, with high operability and precision.

Key words: natural gas hydrate (NGH), exploitation, formation damage, CO₂ emulsion replacement, ICP technology