Solubility of methane in brines from 0 to 300.degree.C

The solubility of methane was measured in brines at temperatures from 0 to 300/sup 0/C by the technique of gas extraction. Results, expressed in terms of the Henry's law constant, were fit to a smoothing and interpolation formula for subsequent interpretation and analysis. The results can be extrapolated to temperatures above 300/sup 0/C. The Henry's law constant exhibits maximums in the temperature range 80 to 100/sup 0/C. Methane is salted out with increased concentration of dissolved salts. The salting-out coefficient is strongly dependent upon temperature. The effect of temperature on solubility in a hypersaline geothermal brine is different from that for the simpler sodium chloride brines owing to the more complex chemistry of the geothermal brine.