Shrinkage and swelling of coal induced by desorption and sorption of fluids: Theoretical model and interpretation of a field project

Geologic sequestration in deep unmineable coal seams and enhanced coalbed methane production is a promising choice, economically and environmentally, to reduce anthropogenic gases such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Unmineable coal seams are typically known to adsorb large amounts of carbon dioxide in comparison to the sizeable amounts of sorbed methane, which raises the potential for large scale sequestration projects. During the process of sequestration, carbon dioxide is injected into the coalbed and desorbed methane is produced. The coal matrix is believed to shrink when a gas is desorbed and swell when a gas is sorbed, sometimes causing profound changes in the cleat porosity and permeability of the coal seam. These changes may have significant impact on the reservoir performance. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the combined influence of swelling and shrinkage, and geomechanical properties including elastic modulus, cleat porosity, and permeability of the reservoir.The present paper deals with the influence of swelling and shrinkage on the reservoir performance, and the geomechanical response of the reservoir system during the process of geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide and enhanced coalbed methane production in an actual field project located in northern New Mexico. A three-dimensional swelling and shrinkage model was developed and implemented into an existing reservoir model to understand the influence of geomechanical parameters, as well as swelling and shrinkage properties, on the reservoir performance. Numerical results obtained from the modified simulator were compared to available measured values from that site and previous studies. Results show that swelling and shrinkage, and the combination of geomechanical and operational parameters, have a significant influence on the performance of the reservoir system.     

Binary gas sorption/desorption experiments on a bituminous coal: Simultaneous measurements on sorption kinetics,volumetric strain and acoustic emission

There is still no clear understanding of the specific interactions between coal and gas molecules. In this context sorption–desorption studies of methane and carbon dioxide, both in a single gas environment and gas mixtures, are of fundamental interest. This paper presents the results of unique simultaneous measurements of sorption kinetics, volumetric strain and acoustic emission (AE) on three tetragonal coal samples subjected to sorption of carbon dioxide and methane mixtures. The coal was a high volatile bituminous C coal taken from the Budryk mine in the Upper Silesia Basin, Poland. Three different gas mixtures were used in the sorption tests, with dominant CO₂, with dominant CH₄ and a 50/50 mixture.The experimental set-up was designed specially for this study. It consisted of three individual units working together: (i) a unit for gas sorption experiments using a volumetric method, (ii) an AE apparatus for detecting, recording and analysing AE, and (iii) a strain meter for measuring strains induced in the coal sample by gas sorption/desorption. All measurements were computer aided.The experiments indicated that the coal tested showed preferential sorption of CH₄ at 2.6 MPa pressure and exhibited comparable affinities for CH₄ and CO₂ at higher pressures (4.0 MPa). The results of chromatographic analysis of the gas released on desorption suggested that the desorption of methane from the coal was favoured. The relationship between the volumetric strain and the amount of sorbed gas was found to be non-linear. These results were contrary to common opinions on the coal behaviour. Furthermore, it appeared that the swelling/shrinkage of coal was clearly influenced by the network of fractures. Besides, the AE and strain characteristics suggested common sources of sorption induced AE and strain.The present results may have implications for the sequestration of carbon dioxide in coal seams and enhanced coalbed methane recovery (ECBM).     

Swelling-induced volumetric strains internal to a stressed coal associated with CO2 sorption

It is generally accepted that typical coalbed gases (methane and carbon dioxide) are sorbed (both adsorbed and absorbed) in the coal matrix causing it to swell and resulting in local stress and strain variations in a coalbed confined under overburden pressure. The swelling, interactions of gases within the coal matrix and the resultant changes in the permeability, sorption, gas flow mechanics in the reservoir, and stress state of the coal can impact a number of reservoir-related factors. These include effective production of coalbed methane, degasification of future mining areas by drilling horizontal and vertical degasification wells, injection of CO₂ as an enhanced coalbed methane recovery technique, and concurrent CO₂ sequestration. Such information can also provide an understanding of the mechanisms behind gas outbursts in underground coal mines.The spatio-temporal volumetric strains in a consolidated Pittsburgh seam coal sample were evaluated while both confining pressure and carbon dioxide (CO₂) pore pressure were increased to keep a constant positive effective stress on the sample. The changes internal to the sample were evaluated by maps of density and atomic number determined by dual-energy X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT). Early-time images, as soon as CO₂ was introduced, were also used to calculate the macroporosity in the coal sample. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and photographic images of the polished section of the coal sample at X-ray CT image location were used to identify the microlithotypes and microstructures.The CO₂ sorption-associated swelling and volumetric strains in consolidated coal under constant effective stress are heterogeneous processes depending on the lithotypes present. In the time scale of the experiment, vitrite showed the highest degree of swelling due to dissolution of CO₂, while the clay (kaolinite) and inertite region was compressed in response. The volumetric strains associated with swelling and compression were between ± 15% depending on the location. Although the effective stress on the sample was constant, it varied within the sample as a result of the internal stresses created by gas sorption-related structural changes. SEM images and porosity calculations revealed that the kaolinite and inertite bearing layer was highly porous, which enabled the fastest CO₂ uptake and the highest degree of compression.     

Strain development in unconfined coals exposed to CO2, CH4 and Ar: Effect of moisture

Field experiments and laboratory studies have shown that swelling of coal takes place upon contact with carbon dioxide at underground pressure and temperature conditions. Understanding this swelling behavior is crucial for predicting the performance of future carbon dioxide sequestration operations in unminable coal seams conducted in association with methane production. Swelling is believed to be related to adsorption on the internal coal surface. Whereas it is well established that moisture influences the sorption capacity of coal, the influence of water on coal swelling is less well-defined. This paper presents the results of laboratory experiments to investigate the effect of moisture on coal swelling in the presence of carbon dioxide, methane and argon. Strain development of an unconfined sample of about 1.0–1.5 mm³ at 40 °C and 8 MPa (and at other pressures) was observed in an optical cell under a microscope as a function of time. Both air dried and moisturized samples were used. Results confirmed different swelling behaviors of coal with different substances: carbon dioxide leads to higher strain than methane, while exposure to argon leads to very little swelling. The experiments on moisturized samples seem to confirm the role of moisture as a competitor to gas molecules for adsorption sites. Adsorption of water could also explain the observed swelling due to water uptake at atmospheric pressure. A re-introduction of carbon dioxide, after intermediate gas release, results in higher strains which indicate a drying effect of the carbon dioxide on the coal. The results of this study show that the role of water cannot be ignored if one wants to understand the fundamental processes that are taking place in enhanced coalbed methane operations.     

Modelling of anisotropic coal swelling and its impact on permeability behaviour for primary and enhanced coalbed methane recovery

Coal swelling/shrinkage during gas adsorption/desorption is a well-known phenomenon. For some coals the swelling/shrinkage shows strong anisotropy, with more swelling in the direction perpendicular to the bedding than that parallel to the bedding. Experimental measurements performed in this work on an Australian coal found strong anisotropic swelling behaviour in gases including nitrogen, methane and carbon dioxide, with swelling in the direction perpendicular to the bedding almost double that parallel to the bedding. It is proposed here that this anisotropy is caused by anisotropy in the coal's mechanical properties and matrix structure. The Pan and Connell coal swelling model, which applies an energy balance approach where the surface energy change caused by adsorption is equal to the elastic energy change of the coal solid, is further developed to describe the anisotropic swelling behaviour incorporating coal property and structure anisotropy. The developed anisotropic swelling model is able to accurately describe the experimental data mentioned above, with one set of parameters to describe the coal's properties and matrix structure and three gas adsorption isotherms. This developed model is also applied to describe anisotropic swelling measurements from the literature where the model was found to provide excellent agreement with the measurement. The anisotropic coal swelling model is also applied to an anisotropic permeability model to describe permeability behaviour for primary and enhanced coalbed methane recovery. It was found that the permeability calculation applying anisotropic coal swelling differs significantly to the permeability calculated using isotropic volumetric coal swelling strain. This demonstrates that for coals with strong anisotropic swelling, anisotropic swelling and permeability models should be applied to more accurately describe coal permeability behaviour for both primary and enhanced coalbed methane recovery processes.     

A theoretical model for gas adsorption-induced coal swelling

Swelling and shrinkage (volumetric change) of coal during adsorption and desorption of gas is a well-known phenomenon. For coalbed methane recovery and carbon sequestration in deep, unminable coal beds, adsorption-induced coal volumetric change may cause significant reservoir permeability change. In this work, a theoretical model is derived to describe adsorption-induced coal swelling at adsorption and strain equilibrium. This model applies an energy balance approach, which assumes that the surface energy change caused by adsorption is equal to the elastic energy change of the coal solid. The elastic modulus of the coal, gas adsorption isotherm, and other measurable parameters, including coal density and porosity, are required in this model. Results from the model agree well with experimental observations of swelling. It is shown that the model is able to describe the differences in swelling behaviour with respect to gas species and at very high gas pressures, where the coal swelling ratio reaches a maximum then decreases. Furthermore, this model can be used to describe mixed-gas adsorption induced-coal swelling, and can thus be applied to CO₂-enhanced coalbed methane recovery.     

Interpretation of carbon dioxide diffusion behavior in coals

Storage of carbon dioxide in geological formations is for many countries one of the options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and thus to satisfy the Kyoto agreements. The CO₂ storage in unminable coal seams has the advantage that it stores CO₂ emissions from industrial processes and can be used to enhance coalbed methane recovery (CO₂-ECBM). For this purpose, the storage capacity of coal is an important reservoir parameter. While the amount of CO₂ sorption data on various natural coals has increased in recent years, only few measurements have been performed to estimate the rate of CO₂ sorption under reservoir conditions. An understanding of gas transport is crucial for processes associated with CO₂ injection, storage and enhanced coalbed methane (ECBM) production.A volumetric experimental set-up has been used to determine the rate of sorption of carbon dioxide in coal particles at various pressures and various grain size fractions. The pressure history during each pressure step was measured. The measurements are interpreted in terms of temperature relaxation and transport/sorption processes within the coal particles. The characteristic times of sorption increase with increasing pressure. No clear dependence of the characteristic time with respect to the particle size was found. At low pressures (below 1 MPa) fast gas diffusion is the prevailing mechanism for sorption, whereas at higher pressures, the slow diffusion process controls the gas uptake by the coal.     

History matching of enhanced coal bed methane laboratory core flood tests

Enhanced coalbed methane (ECBM) involves the injection of a gas, such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide, into the coal reservoir to displace the methane present. Potentially this strategy can offer greater recovery of the coal seam methane and higher rates of recovery due to pressure maintenance of the reservoir. While reservoir simulation forms an important part of the planning and assessment of ECBM, a key question is the accuracy of existing approaches to characterising and representing the gas migration process. Laboratory core flooding allows the gas displacement process to be investigated on intact coal core samples under conditions analogous to those in the reservoir. In this paper a series of enhanced drainage core floods are presented and history matched using an established coal seam gas reservoir simulator, SIMED II. The core floods were performed at two pore pressures, 2 MPa and 10 MPa, and involve either nitrogen or flue gas (90% nitrogen and 10% CO₂) flooding of core samples initially saturated with methane. At the end of the nitrogen floods the core flood was reversed by flooding with methane to investigate the potential for hysteresis in the gas displacement process. Prior to the core flooding an independent characterisation programme was performed on the core sample where the adsorption isotherm, swelling with gas adsorption, cleat compressibility and geomechanical properties were measured. This information was used in the history matching of the core floods; the properties adjusted in the history matching were related to the affect of sorption strain on coal permeability and the transfer of gas between cleat and matrix. Excellent agreement was obtained between simulated and observed gas rates, breakthrough times and total mass balances for the nitrogen/methane floods. It was found that a triple porosity model improved the agreement with observed gas migration over the standard dual porosity Warren-Root model. The Connell, Lu and Pan hydrostatic permeability model was used in the simulations and improved history match results by representing the contrast between pore and bulk sorption strains for the 10 MPa cases but this effect was not apparent for the 2 MPa cases. There were significant differences between the simulations and observations for CO₂ flow rates and mass balances for the flue gas core floods. A possible explanation for these results could be that there may be inaccuracy in the representation of mixed gas adsorption using the extended Langmuir adsorption model.     

Causes and consequences of errors in determining sorption capacity of coals for carbon dioxide at high pressure

Recent comparisons of CO₂ sorption by coals at high pressures have shown major differences between the results obtained by different laboratories. These need to be resolved for laboratory estimation of CO₂ sequestration in coal seams to be useful. A compilation of potential sources of error in determination of sorption characteristics and their impact on sorption measurements is provided here. A series of tests is also provided that can be used to identify and reduce such errors in measurement. For example, an error in temperature produces a characteristic distortion of the sorption curve for carbon dioxide, which can be corrected to some extent. A negative value for excess sorption at high pressure is almost certainly diagnostic of either a cell volume that has been overestimated or that some part of the substrate that is inaccessible to the gas is accessible to helium. The major source of variation between results from the different laboratories that supplied the closest sorption values was found to be variations in the assumed free space volume, which could be due to discrepancies in determined helium density or measured cell volume. Including a term in the sorption model that is proportional to gas density will markedly reduce the influence of such errors in estimating sorption capacity or heats of sorption. The influence of swelling and moisture on sorption isotherms is also quantified here. Correction for swelling of coals in carbon dioxide changes the estimated sorption capacity by less than 1%, if a term that is proportional to gas density is included as a free parameter in the model fitting the isotherm.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987112000308

The Panguan Syncline contains abundant coal resources,which may be a potential source of coalbed methane.In order to evaluate the coalbed methane production potential in this area,we investigated the pore-fracture system of coalbed methane reservoirs,and analyzed the gas sorption and seepage capacities by using various analytical methods,including scanning electron microscopy（SEM）,optical microscopy,mercury-injection test,low-temperature N₂ isotherm adsorption/desorption analyses,lowfield nuclear magnetic resonance and methane isothermal adsorption measurements.The results show that the samples of the coal reservoirs in the Panguan Syncline have moderate gas sorption capacity.However, the coals in the study area have favorable seepage capacities,and are conductive for the coalbed methane production.The physical properties of the coalbed methane reservoirs in the Panguan Syncline are generally controlled by coal metamorphism:the low rank coal usually has low methane sorption capacity and its pore and microfractures are poorly developed;while the medium rank coal has better methane sorption capacity,and its seepage pores and microfractures are well developed,which are sufficient for the coalbed methane’s gathering and exploration.Therefore,the medium rank coals in the Panguan Syncline are the most prospective targets for the coalbed methane exploration and production.     

Gas sorption and transport in coals: A poroelastic medium approach

In this paper, single-component gas sorption and transient diffusion processes are described within coal matrix exhibiting bimodal pore structure. The coal matrix is treated as a poroelastic medium manifesting swelling and shrinkage effects due to the sorption of gas under effective overburden stress. Gas transport is considered Fickian with molecular (bulk) and surface diffusion processes simultaneously taking place in the macro- and micropores of coal, respectively. The numerical formulation is intended to be explicit in nature to investigate the influences of sorption phenomena on the macropore volumes and on the overall gas transport for the cases of gas uptake by and release from coal.Results of the study show the presence of hysteresis during a sorption–desorption cycle of the gas. It is also found that the overall gas transport takes place at a rate significantly less than that in the macropores only. Thus the existence of a retardation effect in the overall gas transport is concluded. This retardation effect is primarily due to the micropore resistances, in particular gas adsorption, and is independent of the changes in the macropore volumes. It is shown that macroporosity of the coal matrix may change during gas transport due to combined effects of pressure and sorption-induced swelling or shrinkage of the coal. It is estimated that the macroporosity variation is non-uniform in space and time, as it is expected in reality, and typically taking values less than ± 10 percent of the initial porosity.     

Assessment of shrinkage–swelling influences in coal seams using rank-dependent physical coal properties

Characterization of coal reservoirs and determination of in-situ physical coal properties related to transport mechanism are complicated due to having lack of standard procedures in the literature. By considering these difficulties, a new approach has been developed proposing the usage of relationships between coal rank and physical coal properties. In this study, effects of shrinkage and swelling (SS) on total methane recovery at CO₂ breakthrough (TMRB), which includes ten-year primary methane recovery and succeeding enhanced coalbed methane (ECBM) recovery up to CO₂ breakthrough, and CO₂ sequestration have been investigated by using rank-dependent coal properties. In addition to coal rank, different coal reservoir types, molar compositions of injected fluid, and parameters within the extended Palmer & Mansoori (P&M) permeability model were considered. As a result of this study, shrinkage and swelling lead to an increase in TMRB. Moreover, swelling increased CO₂ breakthrough time and decreased displacement ratio and CO₂ storage for all ranks of coal. Low-rank coals are affected more negatively than high-rank coals by swelling. Furthermore, it was realized that dry coal reservoirs are more influenced by swelling than others and saturated wet coals are more suitable for eliminating the negative effects of CO₂ injection. In addition, it was understood that it is possible to reduce swelling effect of CO₂ on cleat permeability by mixing it with N₂ before injection. However, an economical optimization is required for the selection of proper gas mixture. Finally, it is concluded from sensitivity analysis that elastic modulus is the most important parameter, except the initial cleat porosity, controlling SS in the extended P&M model by highly affecting TMRB.     

CBM and CO2-ECBM related sorption processes in coal: A review

This article reviews the state of research on sorption of gases (CO₂, CH₄) and water on coal for primary recovery of coalbed methane (CBM), secondary recovery by an enhancement with carbon dioxide injection (CO₂-ECBM), and for permanent storage of CO₂ in coal seams.Especially in the last decade a large amount of data has been published characterizing coals from various coal basins world-wide for their gas sorption capacity. This research was either related to commercial CBM production or to the usage of coal seams as a permanent sink for anthropogenic CO₂ emissions. Presently, producing methane from coal beds is an attractive option and operations are under way or planned in many coal basins around the globe. Gas-in-place determinations using canister desorption tests and CH₄ isotherms are performed routinely and have provided large datasets for correlating gas transport and sorption properties with coal characteristic parameters.Publicly funded research projects have produced large datasets on the interaction of CO₂ with coals. The determination of sorption isotherms, sorption capacities and rates has meanwhile become a standard approach.In this study we discuss and compare the manometric, volumetric and gravimetric methods for recording sorption isotherms and provide an uncertainty analysis. Using published datasets and theoretical considerations, water sorption is discussed in detail as an important mechanisms controlling gas sorption on coal. Most sorption isotherms are still recorded for dry coals, which usually do not represent in-seam conditions, and water present in the coal has a significant control on CBM gas contents and CO₂ storage potential. This section is followed by considerations of the interdependence of sorption capacity and coal properties like coal rank, maceral composition or ash content. For assessment of the most suitable coal rank for CO₂ storage data on the CO₂/CH₄ sorption ratio data have been collected and compared with coal rank.Finally, we discuss sorption rates and gas diffusion in the coal matrix as well as the different unipore or bidisperse models used for describing these processes.This review does not include information on low-pressure sorption measurements (BET approach) to characterize pore sizes or pore volume since this would be a review of its own. We also do not consider sorption of gas mixtures since the data base is still limited and measurement techniques are associated with large uncertainties.     

考虑渗透率变化的煤层气储层数值模拟及参数敏感性研究

煤层气开采过程中储层渗透率的变化对产气量影响较大,通过引入S＆D渗透率变化模型,建立了考虑渗透率变化的煤储层三维气水两相渗流数学模型,完成模型检验后应用所编制软件研究了煤储层参数、吸附参数及渗透率模型特征参数对开发效果的影响。结果表明,煤层气产量随着初始含气量、煤层有效厚度、裂缝渗透率和Langmuir压力的增大而增大,随储层原始压力、裂缝孔隙度和Langmuir体积的增大而减小,而解吸时间对产气量影响不大;裂缝渗透率随着杨氏模量和基质收缩/膨胀系数的增大而增大,随泊松比和裂缝压缩系数的增大而减小。引入S＆D模型后计算的累积产气量要比常规模型低1.3%,因此不可忽视煤层气产出过程中渗透率的变化。     

二连盆地吉尔嘎朗图凹陷煤层气成因类型及勘探方向

低煤阶煤层气地球化学特征及成因判识是勘探选区重要基础。通过解剖煤层气井气、水组成及其碳、氢同位素特 征,探讨了二连盆地吉尔嘎朗图凹陷煤层气成因。结果表明：煤层气组分中甲烷占93.41%,重烃及二氧化碳含量低,为典 型干气;甲烷碳同位素(δ13C)值介于-62.5‰~-60.1‰之间、氢同位素(δD)值介于-275.1‰~-270.2‰之间、二氧化碳碳的同位 素(δ13C)值介于5.1‰~6.2‰之间,反映其为生物成因气。煤层水来源于大气降水,呈弱碱性、较低矿化度。煤层气井气、水 氢同位素特征表明研究区97%左右生物成因气形成于二氧化碳还原机制。生物气藏是吉尔嘎朗图凹陷重要煤层气勘探方 向,适宜地下水环境是勘探选区关键因素。     

Methane and CO2 sorption and desorption measurements on dry Argonne premium coals: pure components and mixtures

Sorption and desorption behaviour of methane, carbon dioxide, and mixtures of the two gases has been studied on a set of well-characterised coals from the Argonne Premium Coal Programme. The coal samples cover a maturity range from 0.25% to 1.68% vitrinite reflectance. The maceral compositions were dominated by vitrinite (85% to 91%). Inertinite contents ranged from 8% to 11% and liptinite contents around 1% with one exception (Illinois coal, 5%). All sorption experiments were performed on powdered (−100 mesh), dry coal samples.Single component sorption/desorption measurements were carried out at 22 °C up to final pressures around 51 bar (5.1 MPa) for CO₂ (subcritical state) and 110 bar (11 MPa) for methane.The ratios of the final sorption capacities for pure CO₂ and methane (in molar units) on the five coal samples vary between 1.15 and 3.16. The lowest ratio (1.15) was found for the North Dakota Beulah-Zap lignite (VR_r=0.25%) and the highest ratios (2.7 and 3.16) were encountered for the low-rank coals (VR_r 0.32% and 0.48%) while the ratio decreases to 1.6–1.7 for the highest rank coals in this series.Desorption isotherms for CH₄ and CO₂ were measured immediately after the corresponding sorption isotherms. They generally lie above the sorption isotherms. The degree of hysteresis, i.e. deviation of sorption and desorption isotherms, varies and shows no dependence on coal rank.Adsorption tests with CH₄/CO₂ mixtures were conducted to study the degree of preferential sorption of these two gases on coals of different rank. These experiments were performed on dry coals at 45 °C and pressures up to 180 bar (18 MPa). For the highest rank samples of this sequence preferential sorption behaviour was “as expected”, i.e. preferential adsorption of CO₂ and preferential desorption of CH₄ were observed. For the low rank samples, however, preferential adsorption of CH₄ was found in the low pressure range and preferential desorption of CO₂ over the entire pressure range.Follow-up tests for single gas CO₂ sorption measurements consistently showed a significant increase in sorption capacity for re-runs on the same sample. This phenomenon could be due to extraction of volatile coal components by CO₂ in the first experiment. Reproducibility tests with methane and CO₂ using fresh sample material in each experiment did not show this effect.     

基于煤层气井排采数据的储层含气量动态反演研究

煤储层含气量是煤层气开发的核心参数,但实测煤储层含气量与煤储层的真实含气量之间往往存在误差。基于窑街矿区海石湾井田煤层气井不同时段的产气量,以煤储层含气量“定体积”降低为基础,反演煤储层实时含气量,研究煤层气井排采过程煤储层实时含气量的变化规律。结果表明:煤储层含气量随排采时间呈线性下降趋势,不同步长煤层气井产气量与煤储层含气量降低幅度一致,遵循“定体积”产气特征,即煤层气单井产气量是煤基质“定体积”产出;煤层气井的产气量与含气量降低速率有关,而与煤储层原始含气量无关。煤储层为隔水层,水力压裂难以改变煤基微孔隙通道的结合水状态,CH₄产出过程受水–煤界面作用控制,煤层气产出是“CH₄·煤·水”三相界面传质作用的结果,水–煤界面作用中水的湍动提供并传递能量,激励块煤中CH₄解吸与产出。      

Impact of experimental parameters for manometric equipment on CO2 isotherms measured: Comment on “Inter-laboratory comparison II: CO2 isotherms measured on moisture-equilibrated Argonne premium coals at 55°C and up to 15 MPa” by Goodman et al. (2007)

Modelling the sorption properties of coals for carbon dioxide under supercritical conditions is necessary for accurate prediction of the sequestering ability of coals in seams. We present recent data for sorption curves of three dry Argonne Premium coals, for carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen at two different temperatures at pressures up to 15 MPa. The sorption capacity of coals tends to decrease with increasing temperature. An investigation into literature values for sorption of nitrogen and methane by charcoal also show sorption capacities that decrease dramatically with increasing temperature. This is inconsistent with expectations from Langmuir models of coal sorption, which predict a sorption capacity that is independent of temperature. We have successfully fitted the isotherms using a modified Dubinin–Radushkevich equation that uses gas density rather than pressure. A simple pore-filling model that assumes there is a maximum pore width that can be filled in supercritical conditions and that this maximum pore width decreases with increasing temperature, can explain this temperature dependence of sorption capacity. It can also explain why different supercritical gases give apparently different surface sorption capacities on the same material. The calculated heat of sorption for these gases on these coals is similar to those found for these gases on activated carbon.     

河南省煤田构造格局对煤层气储层物性和渗流特征的影响

为了查明河南省不同构造区内二1煤层中气体的流动特征和煤体受构造变形分异后的独特性,采用实验数据分析、瓦斯地质和渗流学理论,研究煤中孔容分布、孔径受应力影响后的变化以及煤体强度受构造应力作用下的变形和破坏特点。结果表明,煤层中甲烷连续流型占优的排序为:太行构造区、崤熊构造区、嵩萁构造区。煤中甲烷流型差异受区域构造变形体制控制,太行构造区的拉伸变形导致煤体强度值域分布广,最大体应变大于其他区域;嵩萁构造区的重力滑动、剪切和伸展变形使煤体强度和孔隙率最低、最大体应变最小;崤熊构造区内煤体的最大体应变介于两者之间。该结论对河南省煤层气开发有指导意义。      

阜康矿区煤的孔隙与裂隙特征

煤的孔隙与裂隙是煤层气赋存的空间也是煤层气运移和产出的通道。在新疆阜康矿区三工、建江等7对矿井巷道煤层裂隙观测统计的基础上,采用宏观煤岩分析、显微煤岩分析、压汞实验与煤的孔隙结构分析等方法,研究阜康矿区煤层孔隙与裂隙特性,评价煤层气赋存特征与渗透性。结果表明:阜康矿区煤层孔隙发育以微孔和小孔为主,孔容和比表面积较大,有利于煤层气的吸附和解吸;裂隙发育具有非均质性,矿区西部裂隙最为发育,东部次之,中部不发育;煤岩组分中镜质组的增加会使微小孔增多,有利于煤层气的吸附;中孔孔容对孔隙度具有控制作用;阜康矿区煤层的孔隙率随着镜质体反射率的增大呈增大的趋势。研究结果对新疆阜康矿区煤层气的勘探开发具有一定的理论指导意义。