Coalbed Methane-bearing Characteristics and Reservoir Physical Properties of Principal Target Areas in North China

The coalbed methane (CBM) resources in North China amounts up to 60% of total resources in China. North China is the most important CBM accumulation area in China. The coal beds of the Upper Paleozoic Taiyuan and Shanxi formations have a stable distribution. The coal reservoir of target areas such as Jincheng, Yanquan-Shouyang, Hancheng, Liulin, etc. have good CBM-bearing characteristics, high permeability and appropriate reservoir pressure, and these areas are the preferred target areas of CBM developing in China. The coal reservoirs of Wupu, Sanjiaobei, Lu'an, Xinmi, Anyang-Hebi, Jiaozuo, Xinggong and Huainan also have as good CBM-bearing characteristics, but the physical properties of coal reservoirs vary observably. So, further work should be taken to search for districts with high pressure, high permeability and good CBM-bearing characteristics. Crustal stresses have severe influence on the permeability of coal reservoirs in North China. From west to east, the crustal stress gradient increases, while the coal reservoirs permeability decreases.

Geochemistry of Sulfur and Hazardous Elements in Late Paleozoic Coals and Partings from Taozao Coalfield, Shandong Province, China

The analyses of different sulfur forms, the trace elements in pyrites using electron microprobe and the trace elements in coal using INAA (instrumental neutron activation analysis) of the Late Paleozoic coals from the Taozao coalfield in Shandong Province, China, conclude that most sulfur (>75 %) in high-sulfur coal of Taiyuan Formation occurred as pyrite, in which many hazardous elements co-existed and their concentrations varied with their geological origin. The concentrations of hazardous elements in high-sulfur coals from Taiyuan Formation, composing mainly of Cu, As, U, Pb, Mo and Co, are much higher than those in the low-sulfur coals from Shanxi Formation and Shihezi Formation, because the influence of seawater during and after coal accumulation in Taiyuan Formation is stronger than those in Shanxi and Shihezi formations. Moreover, the element As is related to Fe, and both elements exist mainly in the form of pyrite. The element U is richer in the coal influenced by seawater. In addition, the coal affected by the magmatism contains more U, too. When high-sulfur coals are processed with heavy media washing to remove sulfur and minerals, the majority of hazardous elements will also be removed from the coals.