Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Coal Bed Methane

(black coal, green future.)

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

Coal bed methane

CBM

CBM

Also known as:

Coalbed gas
Coal seam gas (CSM)
Kohleflzmethan (German)

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Global coal
distribution

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

What is CMB?
In the old days CBM was
mainly a safety risk!

Canary in a coal mine.

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Formation of CBM
Biogenic methane is
produced by anaerobic
bacteria in the early
stage of coalification
Thermogenic methane
is mainly during
coalification at
temperatures of
120 150 C

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

Conventional
natural gas

CBM

Rock formations important to oil and gas:

S
Source rockk formation
f
i that
h contains
i the
h
organic matter
Reservoir rock formation with pore volume
capable of containing commercial quantities of
hydrocarbons
Cap rock impermeable formation that inhibits
flow of fluids and gases

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Conventional
natural gas

Schematic view of a
conventional gas
deposit
p

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Conventional
natural gas

Reservoir rock:
porous sandstone
porosity
it 10-20%
10 20%

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

Conventinal gas

CBM

CBM

vs

unconventional
gas

Conventional gas
=
Unconventional gas

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM =
unconventional
gas

CBM

CBM did not migrate from the source rock

into the reservoir rock
Coal is the source rock and the reservoir
rock
The methane does not occur as free gas in
the pore space of coal (only 1 2 %)
CBM does not conform to the ideal gas law
(pV=nRT)

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM =
unconventional
gas

CBM

Coal is adsorbed to the coal matrix

Coal can store around 6 to 7 times more
methane than the equivalent volume of rock
in a conventional reservoir
Adsorption/desorption of gas to/from the
surface of a solid can be described by the
Langmuir Isotherm
= max (K c/1+ K c)
K = Langmuir equilibrium constant,
c = aqueous concentration (or gaseous partial pressure),
= amount adsorbed
max = maximum amount adsorbed as c increases

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

CBM =
unconventional
gas

Desorption from
internal coal
surfaces

Diffusion through
the matrix and
micropores

Fluid flow into

natural fracture
network

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Face cleats
Butt cleats

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

Face cleats
Butt cleats

CBM

Cleats form an interconnected network in the

coal, normal to bedding
Angle between face cleats and butt cleats is
around 90
Spacing between cleats is normally less than
25 mm and the aperture is 0.1 2 mm
Butt cleats (shorter) terminate at a face cleat
Cleats are formed due to intrinsic tensile
force (shrinkage)
(shrinkage), fluid pressure and
tectonic stress
Tectonic stress controls the geometric
pattern of the cleats
Permeabilty ratio face cleats : butt cleats
may range from 1:1 to 17:1

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

CBM production

http://www.ugcenter.com/Video/item36842.php

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

CBM production

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM production

CBM

Two factors are important for CBM production

Gas content and adsorption capacity of the
coal
Hydraulic permeability of the coal

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Gas content /
Adsorption
capacity

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Gas content /
Adsorption
capacity

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Gas content /
Adsorption
capacity

10

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Gas content /
Adsorption
capacity

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Gas content /
Adsorption
capacity
Example

11

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Coal bed methane

project in India
Drilling of an exploratory
borehole

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Coal bed methane

project in India
Drilling of an exploratory
borehole

12

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Coal bed methane

project in India
Drilling of an exploratory
borehole

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Coal bed methane

project in India
Permeability testing
Assembling of packer
system

13

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Coal bed methane

project in India
Permeability testing
Installation of packer
system

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Coal bed methane

project in India
Permeability testing
Installation of packer
system

14

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Type of tests
Injection test
Pressure and flow in test zone

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Type of tests
Falloff test
(after injection test)

Pressure and flow in test zone

15

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Injection

Type of tests

Falloff

Pressure [kPa]

Flow [l/min]

Falloff
( after injection test)
12
8
4
0
9000
8500
8000
7500
7000
6500
0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

Elapsed Time [s]

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Type of tests
DST (Drill Stem Test)
Consists of a
drawdown phase
and a buildup phase

16

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Understanding
pressure
diagrams of DSTs
Position of gauges:
z fluid recorder
z outside recorder
z below recorder

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

600
Pressure in test string
Pressure in test interval
Pressure below packer

Pressure (psi)

500
400
300
200
100
0
0

4
6
Elapsed time (hrs)

10

17

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Hydraulic
fracturing
Increase permeability

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Hydraulic
Fracturing
Technique:
Injection of water under
high pressure in a
packed-off borehole
section
Theory:
Fracturing the rock
perpendicular to the
direction of the
minimum principal
stress

18

Hydraulic
fracturing
Carrying out a first
injection cycle
breakdown cycle
thus creating an
induced fracture

P r e s s u r e (M P a ) / F l o w r a te (l / m i n )

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

16

Packer Pressure
Breakdown pressure
13 8 M PPa
13.8

14

Test Pressure
Flow Rate

Shut in pressure
9.5 M Pa

12
10
8
Shut in

6
4
2
0
6

10

11

12

Elapsed time (min)

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

Potential
problems with
CBM

CBM

Water management of pumped water

Impact on groundwater level/quality
Noise from compressors
Use of land for exploration

19

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

CO2 sequestration
Storage of CO2 in deep
geological formations

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CO2 sequestration
Storage of CO2 in deep
geological formations

CBM

Potential storage in:

Deep saline formations; could contain
minerals that form solid carbonates with
CO2
Depleted oil an gas fields (porous reservoir
rock that is capped with nonpermeable cap
rock)
Unminable coal seams (sorption of CO2 to
the coal)

20

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

CO2
sequestration
Extended Leakoff
Test (hydraulic
fracturing test)
Aim: Determine the frac
pressure of the cap
rock

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

CO2
sequestration
Extended Leakoff
Test (hydraulic
fracturing test)
Aim: Determine the frac
pressure of the cap
rock
Large scale water
injection

21

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

ECBM
Enhanced coal
bed methane

http://www.ipe.ethz.ch/laboratories/spl/research/adsorption/project03

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

UCG
Underground coal
gasification
Principle of UCG
Injection of oxygen
(55%) and steam
Extraction of syngas

22

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

UCG
Underground coal
gasification
Set-up of injection wells
and production well
Directional drilling

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

UCG-CCS
Underground coal
gasification /
carbon capture
and storage

23

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

UCG-CCS
Underground coal
gasification /
carbon capture
and storage

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

Thank you for your attention!

24

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources I

CBM

25