Application of Seismic Anisotropy Caused by Fissures in Coal Seams to the Detection of Coal-bed Methane Reservoirs

Coal-bed methane is accumulated in micro-fissures and cracks in coal seams. The coal seam is the source terrace and reservoir bed of the coal-bed methane (Qian et al., 1996). Anisotropy of coal seams is caused by the existence of fissures. Based on the theory of S wave splitting: an S wave will be divided into two S waves with nearly orthogonal polarization directions when passing through anisotropic media, i.e. the fast S wave with its direction of propagation parallel to that of the fissure and slow S wave with the direction of propagation perpendicular to that of the fissure.

Coal-Bed Methane Resource of Mesozoic Basins in Jiamusi Landmass

As a new-replacement of energy resource, coal bed methane is the important gas resource with great strategic significance. There are several number of Mesozoic coal-bearing basins in Jiamusi landmass, eastern Heilongjiang Province. Theresult of the resource assessment revealed that the total resource less than 1 500 m,s depth in the area is about 2 100×108m3. It shows that Jiamusi landmass has great potential of coal-bed gas and is one of the most prospecting districts for developing coal-bed gas in CBM-province Northeast China.

Research regarding coal-bed wellbore stability based on a discrete element model

Wellbore instability is a key problem restricting efficient production of coal-bed methane. In order to perform thorough and systematic research regarding coal-bed wellbore stability problems, a new discrete element model which fully considers the features of cleat coal-beds is established based on the Kirsch equation. With this model, the safe pipe tripping speed, drilling fluid density window and coal- bed collapse/fracture pressure are determined; in addition, the relationships between pipe tripping speed and pipe size, cleat size, etc. and wellbore stability are analyzed in the coal-bed drilling and pipe tripping processes. The case studies show the following results： the wellbore collapses （collapse pressure： 4.33 MPa） or fractures （fracture pressure： 12.7 MPa） in certain directions as a result of swab or surge pressure when the pipe tripping speed is higher than a certain value; the cleat face size has a great influence on wellbore stability, and if the drilling fluid pressure is too low, the wellbore is prone to collapse when the ratio of the face cleat size to butt cleat size is reduced; however, if the drilling fluid pressure is high enough, the butt cleat size has no influence on the wellbore fracture; the factors influencing coal-bed stability include the movement length, pipe size, borehole size.

Effects of micropore structure of activated carbons on the CH_(4)/N_(2) adsorption separation and the enrichment of coal-bed methane

In the process of enriching CH4 from coal-bed methane,the separation of CH_(4)/N_(2)is very difficult to accomplish by an adsorption process due to the similar physico-chemical properties of the two molecules.A series of coconut-shell-based granular activated carbons(GACs)with different pore structures were prepared,which were characterized by different methods.The influence of the pore structure on the separation properties was investigated in detail.The results show that one of the carbons prepared(GAC-3)has high CH4 equilibrium adsorption capacity(3.28 mol·kg–1)at 298 K and equilibrium separation coefficient(3.95).The CH_(4)/N_(2)separation on the GACs is controlled by adsorption equilibrium as compared with the dynamic effect.Taking the specific surface area,for example,the common characterization index of the pore structure is not enough to judge the separation performance of the GACs.However,the microstructure of carbon materials plays a decisive role for CH_(4)/N_(2)separation.According to the pore-structure analysis,the effective pore size for the CH_(4)/N_(2)separation is from 0.4 to 0.9 nm,with the optimum effect occurring in the range of 0.6–0.7 nm,followed by the range of 0.7~0.9 nm.Also,a four-bed vacuum pressure swing adsorption process was adopted to evaluate the performance of GACs for the separation of CH4 from nitrogen.

Geothermal field and its relation with coalbed methane distribution of the Qinshui Basin

The average geothermal gradient in the Qin-shui Basin, Shanxi Province, North China, estimated from temperature logging data of 20 boreholes is 28.2±1.03℃/km. The thermal conductivities of 39 rock samples are measured and 20 heat flow values are obtained. The estimated heat flow ranges from 44.75 mW7m2 to 101.81 mW/m2, with a mean of 62.69±15.20 mW/m2. The thermal history reconstruction from the inversion of vitrinite data, using Ther-model for Windows 2004, reveals that the average paleo-heat flow at the time of maximum burial in late Jurassic to early Cretaceous is 158.41 mW/m2 for the north part, 119.57 mW/m2 for the central part and 169.43 mW/m2for the south part of the basin respectively. The reconstruction of the buried history of the strata indicates that the age for the end of sedimentation and the beginning of erosion for the basin is 108-156 Ma, and that the eroded thickness of the strata is 2603 m in the north, 2291 m in the central, and 2528.9 m in the south of the basin respectively. The 'higher in the north and the south, lower in the central' distribution pattern of the paleo-heat flow coincides with the distribution of the coal-bed methane spatially and temporally, which shows that the coal-bed methane is controlled by the paleo-geotem-perature field in the basin.

“Exploring petroleum inside source kitchen”: Connotation and prospects of source rock oil and gas

Based on the transitional background of the global energy structure, exploration and development of unconventional oil and gas, and investigation of key basins, the unconventional oil and gas resources are divided into three types: source rock oil and gas, tight oil and gas, and retention and accumulated oil and gas. Source rock oil and gas resources are the global strategic supplies of oil and gas, the key resource components in the second 150-year life cycle of the future petroleum industry, and the primary targets for "exploring petroleum inside source kitchen". The geological connotation of source rock oil and gas was proposed, and the models of source rock oil and gas generation, expulsion and accumulation were built, and five source rock oil and gas generation sections were identified, which may determine the actual resource potential under available technical conditions. The formation mechanism of the "sweet sections" was investigated, that is, shale oil is mainly accumulated in the shale section that is close to the oil generation section and has higher porosity and permeability, while the "sweet sections" of coal-bed methane(CBM) and shale gas have self-contained source and reservoir and they are absorbed in coal seams or retained in the organic-rich black shale section, so evaluation and selection of good "sweet areas(sections)" is the key to "exploring petroleum inside source kitchen". Source rock oil and gas resources have a great potential and will experience a substantial growth for over ten world-class large "coexistence basins" of conventional-unconventional oil and gas in the future following North America, and also will be the primary contributor to oil stable development and the growth point of natural gas production in China, with expected contribution of 15% and 30% to oil and gas, respectively, in 2030. Challenges in source rock oil and gas development should be paid more attention to, theoretical innovation is strongly recommended, and a development pilot zone can be established to strengthen technology and promote national support. The source rock oil and gas geology is the latest progress of the "source control theory" at the stage of unconventional oil and gas. It will provide a new theoretical basis for the new journey of the upstream business in the post-industry age.

Early Opportunity of CO_2 Storage in Coal Bed of China

A study to identify potential early opportunities for CO2 storage in coal bed has been performed. CO2-ECBM can enhances the recovery of coalbed methane,and also store CO2 in coal for geological time.CO2-ECBM is an effective measure for CO2 mitigation,and also enhance the recovery of coalbed methane that can reduce the cost of CO2 geological storage.The evaluation index system of feasibility

Practice of Unconventional Gas Development and Engineering Management Innovation in China

This article analyses the recent progressive increase in resource quantity and production quantity of unconventional natural gas in China, describes its natural properties and the concepts, strategies and approaches of its development, summarizes the special techniques, management concepts and development modes formed in the process of its development, and puts forward proposals to accelerate the development of unconventional natural gas of China. The technically recoverable reserve of unconventional natural gas is 1.7 times that of conventional natural gas and its output in 2012 accounted for 41.8% of the total output in China. Chinese tight gas development has gained success, coal-bed methane development and shale gas production pilots have made important progresses. As the key feature of unconventional natural gas is 'low grade', for the effective scale development, developers must build up the engineering concept of low-grade resources development, adhere to the low cost strategy, take the development route of 'a step backward and then a step forward', apply such ideas and methods of engineering management as low cost dualistic integrative innovation, full control network management, economic limit theory, integrated operation and 'four orientations' engineering management, establish a 'two lows' engineering management system, and take reference of the successful development mode of the tight gas in Sulige and the coal-bed methane in the Qinshui basin. In order to achieve the objective of rapid development of nonconventional natural gas in China and to accelerate the development pace, the government should continue toincrease support, to speed up the reform of natural gas price adjustment, to set up national comprehensive development and utilization demonstration areas, to input in sustainable technological research and to promote engineering management innovation.