Given the susceptibility of particular types of hydrate deposits to geomechanical changes, and the possibility for severe stability and well stability consequences, the ability to monitor geomechanical changes by geophysical means is particularly appealing. A modeling approach that allows for the coupled simulation of hydrate production and corresponding geophysical measurements is a useful tool for con­straining the interpretation of geophysical data collected during a production test and for designing appropriate geophysical surveys.

This approach was used to conduct a feasibility study for using VSP measure­ments to monitoring production from a submarine hydrate accumulation in the GOM [89]. The study indicated that, (a) for an incoming P-wave source, the most

reliable indicators of changing conditions in the HBL appear to be converted

S-waves transmitted through the HBL and recorded below it, and reflected P-waves and converted S-waves recorded above the HBL, and (b) the response was strongly dependent on the chosen rock physics models (Fig. 17). Future improvements to this approach should include linkage to coupled flow-geomechanical codes (e. g., [170]). In addition, other types of measurements that provide complementary but lower resolution information, such as electrical and electromagnetic data, should be evaluated.