Evaluation of coalbed gas potential of the Seelyville Coal Member, Indiana, USA

The Seelyville Coal Member of the Linton Formation in Indiana potentially contains 0.03 trillion m³ (1.1 TCF) of coalbed gas. The gas content determined by canister desorption technique ranges from 0.5 to 5.7 cm³/g on dry ash free basis (15.4 to 182.2 scf/ton). The controls on gas content distribution are complex, and cannot be explained by the coal rank alone. Ash content and the lithology of the overlying strata, among other factors, may influence this distribution.     

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.     

1 Introduction

The paper deals with the coalbed methane gas-bearing characteristics such as the gas content, theoretical gas saturation, gas concentration and abundance, as well as coal reservoir characteristics such as the adsorption, desorption and permeability of China's coal reservoirs. The paper also introduces the resources of coalbed methane with a gas content ≥4 m3/t and their distribution in China.     

Geological characteristics and co-exploration and co-production methods of Upper Permian Longtan coal measure gas in Yangmeishu Syncline,Western Guizhou Province,China

Coal measure gas (also known as coal-bearing unconventional gas) is the key field and development direction of unconventional natural gas in recent years. The exploration and evaluation of coal measure gas (coalbed methane, coal shale gas and coal measure tight sandstone gas) from single coalbed methane has greatly expanded the field and space of resource evaluation, which is of positive significance for realizing the comprehensive utilization of coal resources, maximizing the benefits and promoting the innovation of oil and gas geological theory and technological advances in exploration and development. For the first time, in Yangmeishu Syncline of Western Guizhou Province, the public welfare coalbed methane geological survey project of China Geological Survey has been carried out a systematic geological survey of coal measure gas for the Upper Permian Longtan Formation, identified the geological conditions of coal measure gas and found high quality resources. The total geological resource quantity of coalbed methane and coal shale gas is 51.423×10⁹ m³ and the geological resource abundance is up to 566×10⁹ m³/km². In this area, the coal measures are characterized by many layers of minable coal seams, large total thickness, thin to the medium thickness of the single layer, good gas-bearing property of coal seams and coal measure mudstone and sandstone, good reservoir physical property and high-pressure coefficient. According to the principle of combination of high quality and similarity of key parameters of the coal reservoir, the most favorable intervals are No.5⁻², No.7 and No.13⁻² coal seam in Well YMC1. And the pilot tests are carried out on coal seams and roof silty mudstone, such as staged perforation, increasing hydraulic fracturing scale and “three gas” production. The high and stable industrial gas flow with a daily gas output of more than 4000 m³ has been obtained, which has realized the breakthrough in the geological survey of coal measure gas in Southwest China. Based on the above investigation results, the geological characteristics of coal measure gas in the multi-thin-coal-seam-developed area and the co-exploration and co-production methods, such as the optimization method of favorable intervals, the high-efficiency fracturing and reservoir reconstruction method of coal measures, and the “three gas” drainage and production system, are systematically summarized in this paper. It will provide a reference for efficient exploration and development of coal measure gas in similar geological conditions in China.     

Coalbed methane resources and reservoir characteristics from the Alberta Plains,Canada

Alberta has vast coal resources that may be a potential source of coalbed methane (CBM). Exploration and research are currently underway in the province to quantify gas potential, identify key geological factors that maximize CBM potential, and identify the ‘most favourable’ areas for CBM production potential.There are four main coal zones within the Plains and Foothills of Alberta. The Ardley Coal Zone of the Plains is undergoing CBM exploration and production piloting. Much of this effort is within the west-central Pembina area. Horseshoe Canyon Formation coals of south-central Alberta were initially thought to have gas concentrations too low to be economic CBM producers. It is these coals, however, that host Alberta's first commercial CBM production project. Although similar in both geographic distribution and coal quality to Horseshoe Canyon coals, not much is known regarding the gas potential of underlying coals of the Belly River Group. The deeper Mannville coals have some of the highest gas concentrations of Alberta coals; however, they are also relatively deep and have lower permeability than the overlying Belly River, Horseshoe Canyon and Ardley coals.Maximum gas-in-place for the Plains and Foothills has been estimated to be greater than 500 trillion cubic feet (1.42 * 10¹³ m³). Although this number is very large, little is known as to how much of this huge resource is actually producible. A key challenge to producibility in Alberta has been the generally low permeability of coals with the highest gas concentrations (Mannville coals), and the moderate to low gas concentrations of higher permeability coals (Horseshoe Canyon and Ardley coals).Regionally, coal distribution and average gas-in-place concentrations are calculated for the Alberta Plains. Identifying and explaining local areas with favourable CBM production characteristics within the regional setting is necessary to establish economic CBM plays within Alberta. There are currently several pilots and numerous exploration efforts underway in the province to demonstrate production potential.This study integrates existing data with new data collected from key areas that show favourable CBM potential. There is great opportunity for CBM development in Alberta. Local areas have enhanced characteristics favourable to production. Ongoing geological investigations are needed to identify characteristics that will serve as an exploration tool for future CBM discoveries.     

Resources Conditions of Coalbed Methane Districts in China

The China National Administration of Coal Geology accomplished an assessment of coalbed methaneresources of China in 1988. The total amount of coalbed methane resources in China is 14336.944 billion m , occurring in recoverable coal seams and beneath weathering zones, with coalbed methane content equal to or higher than 4 m3 per ton and buried depths smaller than 2000 m, among which there are 967.51 billion m of predicted reserves and 13369.434 billion m of future reserves. The resources in coal reservoirs with methane content of more than 8 m per ton are 12444.087 billion m , and those with methane content between 4 to 8 m per ton are 1892.856 billion m . There are 35 districts in which the resources abundance is higher than 150 million m3 /km2 , 49 districts with the abundance between 50 million and 150 million m 3/km2 , and 31 districts with the abundance less than 50 million m3 /km2 . There is 9256.078 billion m3 of methane occurring in coal seams with buried depths less than 1500 m, and 5080.866 bi     

吐哈盆地低煤阶煤层气地质特征与成藏控制因素研究

我国低煤阶煤层气资源丰富,气煤以下的低煤阶煤层气资源量15.13×1012m3。迄今为止尚无成功开发先例,地质成藏基础研究亟待加强。论文通过对吐哈盆地煤层气成藏条件、成藏特征分析,探讨了地质构造、聚煤作用、煤系特征、生物气形成与保存等低煤阶煤层气成藏控制因素,初步确定了吐哈盆地煤层气成藏类型及其分布特征,把吐哈盆地煤层气成藏模式划分为盆内凹陷成藏模式、盆缘陡坡成藏模式和盆缘缓坡成藏模式3种类型,根据成藏过程的匹配特征把煤层气藏类型划分为储-逸型低压逸散式、储-运-逸型运移储集式两种类型,该划分方案有助于指导低煤阶煤层气成因研究与资源勘探开发。     

Effects of igneous intrusions on coalbed methane potential, Gunnedah Basin, Australia

The Gunnedah Basin, NSW, Australia, contains more than 500 Gt of coal, and has been the subject of recent coalbed methane exploration. Large areas of the basin contain igneous intrusions and large areas of coal have been heat-affected as a consequence. A detailed study has been undertaken of coal seams intersected in a cored coalbed methane exploration drillhole in which two sill-form igneous intrusions are present. Comparisons are made between coals that are unaltered and coals that have been heat-affected, using petrographic and chemical data, coal seam gas desorption data, and gas chemical analysis data.Results demonstrate that the two igneous intrusions have had a very positive effect on coalbed methane development. The gas content in a number of heat-affected coal seams within thermal aureoles above and below the sills is substantially higher than in adjacent unaffected coal seams. In addition, the intrusions have had little effect on gas quality. The coals in the heat-affected zone were found to contain gas with approximately 95% methane. The coals in the thermal aureoles were found, under the microscope, to contain characteristic micropores and slits, which collectively may serve to enhance gas adsorption capacity, permeability, and gas desorption. Gas contents below each of the sills is substantially higher than above the sill, confirming earlier results that the sills appear to have acted as a reservoir seal, during and for some time after intrusion. The background coal rank in ACM Yannergee DDH 1 is in the high-volatile bituminous range. The igneous intrusions have resulted in an increase in rank such that large areas of coal have moved into the optimal thermogenic gas generation window. This rank increase has affected a major part of the coal-bearing sequence.     

Uncertainty of gas saturation estimates in a subbituminous coal seam

To assess the commercial viability of a coalbed methane prospect two of the key geological parameters measured are gas content (desorbed gas) and gas holding capacity (adsorption capacity). These two measures, together with reservoir pressure, give an estimate of the gas saturation of the reservoir. Typically gas saturation has been assessed by collecting one adsorption isotherm sample and assuming it is representative of the whole seam reservoir conditions. This study addresses that assumption.To understand the level of variation, and thus the inherent uncertainty in saturation, one core (Jasper-1) from the Huntly coalfield in New Zealand was analysed in detail. Ten samples (representing the whole coal seam) were placed into gas desorption canisters and desorbed for ten days and then analysed for adsorption capacity. Desorption analyses for total measured gas content (average in-situ basis) ranged from 2.32 to 2.89 m³/t (standard deviation (sd) = 0.18) and gas adsorptive capacity at 4 MPa (average in-situ basis) from 2.11 to 3.51 m³/t (sd = 0.38) resulting in saturations ranging from 66% to 120% (sd = 15).Determination of how many samples are required to make a realistic assessment of average reservoir properties requires a consideration of: (i) the level of accuracy desired, (ii) the limit of accuracy possible, which is governed by the magnitude of experimental error, and (iii) the innate variability of the seam. It was found that a minimum of five samples each for adsorption and desorption were required in order to significantly decrease the uncertainty in gas saturation estimates for a subbituminous coal.     

Development of the first coal seam gas exploration program in Indonesia: Reservoir properties of the Muaraenim Formation, south Sumatra

The Late Miocene Muaraenim Formation in southern Sumatra contains thick coal sequences, mostly of low rank ranging from lignite to sub-bituminous, and it is believed that these thick low rank coals are the most prospective for the production of coal seam gas (CSG), otherwise known as coalbed methane (CBM), in Indonesia.As part of a major CSG exploration project, gas exploration drilling operations are being undertaken in Rambutan Gasfields in the Muaraenim Formation to characterize the CSG potential of the coals. The first stage of the project, which is described here, was designed to examine the gas reservoir properties with a focus on coal gas storage capacity and compositional properties. Some five CSG exploration boreholes were drilled in the Rambutan Gasfield, south of Palembang. The exploration boreholes were drilled to depths of ~ 1000 m into the Muaraenim Formation. Five major coal seams were intersected by these holes between the depths of 450 and 1000 m. The petrography of coal samples collected from these seams showed that they are vitrinite rich, with vitrinite contents of more than 75% (on a mineral and moisture free basis). Gas contents of up to 5.8 m³/t were measured for the coal samples. The gas desorbed from coal samples contain mainly methane (CH₄) ranging from 80 to 93% and carbon dioxide (CO₂) ranging from 6 to 19%. The composition of the gas released into the production borehole/well is, however, much richer in CH₄ with about 94 to 98% CH₄ and less than 5% CO₂.The initial results of drilling and reservoir characterization studies indicate suitable gas recovery parameters for three of the five coal seams with a total thickness of more than 30 m.     

Modeling of ECBM recovery from Amasra coalbed in Zonguldak Basin,Turkey

Zonguldak coal basin is the only productive hard coal basin of Turkey. The eastern part of the basin is called as Bartin–Amasra District, which has deeper coal seams. The depth and difficulty of mining these coal seams make this district an important candidate for coalbed methane (CBM) recovery. However, there is not enough reservoir data for modeling purposes. In this study, the lithologic information collected for coal mining industry was used to determine the correlations and the continuity of the coal seams. The lithologic information was examined and the depths of the coal seams and the locations of the exploration boreholes were used to perform a reliable correlation using a new method. As a result of the correlation study, 63 continuous coal layers were found. A statistical reserve estimation of each coal layer for methane was made by using Monte Carlo simulation method. The initial methane in place found in the coal layers both in free and adsorbed states were estimated using probabilistic simulations resulted in possible reserve (P10) of 2.07 billion m³, probable reserve (P50) of 1.35 billion m³ and proven reserves (P90) of 0.86 billion m³.Among the determined continuous coal layers, coal layer #26 was selected for a preliminary investigation of the applicability of enhanced coalbed methane (ECBM) recovery and CO₂ storage. The scarcity of coal seam reservoir data required a sensitivity study for the effects of reservoir parameters on operational performance indicators. The effects of adsorption, coal density, permeability, cleat porosity and permeability anisotropy parameters were examined using the Computer Modeling Group's (CMG) GEM module.     

Nitrogen and carbon dioxide occurrence in UK coal seams

Conclusions Some bituminous coals, mostly of high volatile rank, sampled from various coalfields contained on average 0.5 m³ t^–1 nitrogen and 0.13 m³ t^–1.Nitrogen is released more readily than methane during coal winning but the volumes of nitrogen released are small compared with ventilation quantities and are only likely to be of significance for detailed oxygen deficiency studies.     

安徽两淮地区煤层气勘探开发现状及建议

煤层气资源是清洁能源,商业开发利用煤层气具有良好的经济效益和社会效益,安徽两淮地区具有丰富的煤层气资源,最新估算结果表明2000m以浅资源量为5155.47×108m3,其中淮南煤田为3614.07×108m3,淮北煤田(除濉萧矿区)为1541.40×108m3。由于地质条件的限制,目前两淮煤田主要以瓦斯井下抽采为主,采用地面钻井商业开采煤层气暂未取得成功。本文在系统总结分析两淮地区煤层气勘探开发现状的基础上,从产业规划、基础地质研究、开发技术攻关以及政策扶持等方面,对安徽省煤层气产业发展提出建议和对策。     

浅析极软质岩石地基中桩的端阻力特征值的取值

通过对极软质岩石地基进行原位测试,以及对极软质岩石地层中单桩竖向承载力的计算,结合国家颁布的有关规范,就如何根据岩土工程勘察报告提供的极软质岩石饱满和单轴抗压强度标准值,来确定桩端阻力特征值的问题进行了讨论,并提出了极软质岩石地基中的基桩宜按非嵌岩桩理论进行设计及桩端阻力特征值的取值方法。     

Petroleum Distribution Characteristics of the Americas and the Exploration Prospect Analysis

The world’s present demand for oil and gas is still in a rapid growth period, and traditional oil and gas resources account for more than 60% of the global oil and gas supply. The Americas is the world’s second largest production and consumption center of liquid fuel, and is also the world’s largest natural gas producer. In 2016, the Americas had 85.3 billion tons of proven oil reserves and 18.7 trillion m3 of proven natural gas reserves, which account for 35.4% and 10.0% of world’s total reserves, respectively. It produced 1267.1 Mt of oil and 1125.4 billion m3 of natural gas, which account for 28.9% and 31.7% of the world’s total production, respectively. The crude oil and natural gas reserves are mainly distributed in the U.S., Canada and Venezuela. The U.S. is the earliest and most successful country in shale gas exploration and development, and its shale gas is concentrated in the southern, central and eastern U.S., including the Marcellcus shale, Barnett shale, EagleFord shale, Bakken shale, Fayettevis shale, Haynsvill shale, Woodford shale and Monterey/Santos shale. The potential oil and gas resources in the Americas are mainly concentrated in the anticline and stratigraphic traps in the Middle-Upper Jurassic slope deposition of the North Slope Basin, the Paleozoic Madsion group dolomite and limestone in the Williston Basin, dominant stratigraphic traps and few structural traps in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, the Eocene structural-stratigraphic hydrocarbon combination, structural-unconformity traps and structural hydrocarbon combination, and the Upper Miocene stratigraphic-structural hydrocarbon combination in the Maracaibo Basin of Venezuela, the stratigraphic-structural traps and fault horst, tilting faulted blocks and anticlines related to subsalt structure and basement activity in the Campos Basin, the subsalt central low-uplift belt and supra-salt central low-uplift belt in the Santos Basin of Brazil, and the structural-stratigraphic traps in the Neuquen Basin of Argentina. In addition, the breakthrough of seismic subsalt imaging technology makes the subsalt deepwater sea area of eastern Barzil an important oil and gas potential area.     

Shale Gas Formation and Occurrence in China: An Overview of the Current Status and Future Potential

Shale gas is one of the most promising unconventional resources both in China and abroad. It is known as a form of self-contained source-reservoir system with large and continuous dimensions. Through years of considerable exploration efforts, China has identified three large shale gas fields in the Fuling, Changning and Weiyuan areas of the Sichuan Basin, and has announced more than 540 billion m~3 of proven shale gas reserves in marine shale systems. The geological theories for shale gas development have progressed rapidly in China as well. For example, the new depositional patterns have been introduced for deciphering the paleogeography and sedimentary systems of the Wufeng shale and Longmaxi shale in the Sichuan Basin. The shale gas storage mechanism has been widely accepted as differing from conventional natural gas in that it is adsorbed on organic matter or a mineral surface or occurs as free gas trapped in pores and fractures of the shale. Significant advances in the techniques of microstructural characterization have provided new insights on how gas molecules are stored in micro- and nano-scale porous shales. Furthermore, newly-developed concepts and practices in the petroleum industry, such as hydraulic fracturing, microseismic monitoring and multiwell horizontal drilling, have made the production of this unevenly distributed but promising unconventional natural gas a reality. China has 10–36 trillion m~3 of promising shale gas among the world's whole predicted technically recoverable reserves of 206.6 trillion m~3. China is on the way to achieving its goal of an annual yield of 30–50 billion m~3 by launching more trials within shale gas projects.     

Noble gas tracing of groundwater/coalbed methane interaction in the San Juan Basin, USA

The San Juan Basin natural gas field, located in northwestern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado in the USA, is a case-type coalbed methane system. Groundwater is thought to play a key role in both biogenic methane generation and the CO₂ sequestration potential of coalbed systems. We show here how noble gases can be used to construct a physical model that describes the interaction between the groundwater system and the produced gas. We collected 28 gas samples from producing wells in the artesian overpressured high production region of the basin together with 8 gas samples from the underpressured low production zone as a control. Stable isotope and major species determination clearly characterize the gas in the high production region as dominantly biogenic in origin, and the underpressured low producing region as having a significant admix of thermogenic coal gas. ³He/⁴He ratios increase from 0.0836R_a at the basin margin to 0.318R_a towards the center, indicating a clear but small mantle He signature in all gases. Coherent fractionation of water-derived ²⁰Ne/³⁶Ar and crustal ⁴He/⁴⁰Ar* are explained by a simple Rayleigh fractionation model of open system groundwater degassing. Low ²⁰Ne concentrations compared to the model predicted values are accounted for by dilution of the groundwater-associated gas by desorbed coalbed methane. This Rayleigh fractionation and dilution model together with the gas production history allows us to quantify the amount of water involved in gas production at each well. The quantified water volumes in both underpressured and overpressured zones range from 1.7 × 10³ m³ to 4.2 × 10⁵ m³, with no clear distinction between over- and underpressured production zones. These results conclusively show that the volume of groundwater seen by coal does not play a role in determining the volume of methane produced by secondary biodegradation of these coalbeds. There is no requirement of continuous groundwater flow for renewing the microbes or nutrient components. We furthermore observe strong mass related isotopic fractionation of ²⁰Ne/²²Ne and ³⁸Ar/³⁶Ar isotopic ratios. This can be explained by a noble gas concentration gradient in the groundwater during gas production, which causes diffusive partial re-equilibration of the noble gas isotopes. It is important for the study of other systems in which extensive groundwater degassing may have occurred to recognize that severe isotopic fractionation of air-derived noble gases can occur when such concentration gradients are established during gas production. Excess air-derived Xe and Kr in our samples are shown to be related to the diluting coalbed methane and can only be accounted for if Xe and Kr are preferentially and volumetrically trapped within the coal matrix and released during biodegradation to form CH₄.     

云南老厂矿区煤层气储层地质条件及其资源潜力

云南老厂矿区煤层气资源丰富,是近年来我国煤层气资源勘探开发的热点区域。针对煤层厚度、储层物性、含气量等储层基本参数特征进行分析,对区域煤层气资源潜力进行评价。结果表明:云南老厂矿区煤层厚度较大、层数较多,煤层顶底板以泥岩、粉砂岩为主,生储盖配置较好;目标煤层孔隙度相对较高,裂隙较为发育,可为煤层气的富集和产出提供良好的条件;主要煤层压力整体上属于常压储层,煤层解吸速率较高;同时煤储层大多处于欠饱和状态,开发过程中需要较长时间的排水降压;老厂矿区雨汪区块埋藏深度小于1 000 m的煤层气资源量为270.93亿m³,资源丰度为3.20亿m³/km²。总体而言,研究区煤层气勘探开发条件较好,具有较大的勘探开发的资源潜力。     

贵州对江南井田煤层气地质特征及高效开发技术

贵州对江南井田煤层气开发进展缓慢,通过前期勘探阶段实践,该区块存在的主要问题是钻井效率低、固井漏失严重、压裂改造周期长,单井产量低,客观评价井田煤层气地质特征及开发技术对后续煤层气的开发至关重要。通过对井田煤层厚度、煤体结构、储层压力、含气量、渗透性等方面进行了系统研究,结合井田以往钻井、压裂及排采实践,提出了井田煤层气开发以定向井为主,在M18煤层构造简单、煤体结构好、含气量高、煤层稳定且厚度大于3 m的区域,宜采用水平井的开发方式,在M25和M29煤,M78和M79煤构造简单、含气量高、煤层稳定且层间距小于5 m的区域,宜采用层间水平井的开发技术,漏失井段宜采用空气潜孔锤快速钻进技术,非漏失井段宜采用螺杆复合钻进技术,固井宜采用变密度水泥浆+无水氯化钙的固井方式,直井和定向井压裂宜采用复合桥塞层组多级压裂,水平井宜采用油管拖动水力喷砂射孔压裂技术,排采宜采用合层排采+分层控压技术,形成一套适宜于对江南井田地形地质条件下的煤层气开发技术,为今后研究区大规模煤层气商业开发提供参考。