• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.39-48
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• 2023

This study presents the experimental results to measure the adsorption amount of methane gas by coal according to the conditions of a coalbed methane (CBM) reservoir. Adsorbed gas to coal seam particles was measured under reservoir conditions (normal pressure ~ 1,200 psi pressure range, temperature range15 ~ 45℃) using coal samples obtained from random mines in Kalimantan Island, North Indonesia. The obtained amount of absolute adsorbed gas was applied to triangular with linear interpolation to calculate the maximum amount of adsorbed gas according to temperature and pressure change, at which no experiment was performed. As a result, it was revealed that the amount of adsorbed gas to coal particles increased as the pressure increased and temperature decreased, but the increase of the amount of adsorbed gas decreased at more than an appropriate depth(1,000 ft). In the cleat permeability and cleat porosity for each depth of the coal bed considering the effective stress, the cleat permeability was 28.86 ~ 46.81 md, and the cleat porosity was 0.83 ~ 0.98%. This means that the gas productivity varies significantly with the depth because the reduction of the permeability according to the depth in the coal seam is significant. Therefore, a coalbed depth should be considered essential when designing the spacing of production wells in a coalbed methane reservoir in further study.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.613-624
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• 2014

The fractures in coal are the main migration and output channels of coalbed methane, directly influencing the permeability of the coal seams. It is of great significance to study the effect of fracture distribution in coals on the permeability of coal seam. The development rules of endogenetic and exogenetic fractures are different among various coal lithotypes. There is also difference in the fracture density for the same lithotype with different thicknesses. Through the observation and description of the macroscopic fractures in coal and the origin of fractures in coal, the effect of the coal lithotype and its thickness on fracture development in coal was discussed. It was found through the study that the density of fractures in vitrain band was the maximum for the same coal rank and thickness, followed by clarain band. There were few fractures developed in the durain band. However, the changes of fracture density in three types of bands presented different declining trends for low, medium and high coal rank. There were no fractures developed in the fusain. There were three variation patterns for the fracture densities at the same coal rank and coal lithotype: linear decrease, nonlinear decrease, and first decrease then remaining unchanged. However, the overall trend was that the fracture density decreased with the increase of thickness of coal band for the same coal rank and coal lithotype.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.98-107
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• 2023

This study presents a well spacing design for coalbed methane(CBM) reservoirs using the experimental results of methane gas adsorption measurement of coal samples obtained from North Kalimantan Island, Indonesia. The gas productivity analysis shows that the cumulative gas production increases as the Langmuir volume increases. This indicates that the maximum gas adsorption directly affects the gas production. In addition, the maximum gas production increases with the increase of reservoir permeability, and the dewatering period is shortened. In particular, the cumulative gas production increases as the production influence area increases. However, when comparing productivity per unit well, the maximum cumulative gas production is found between 2,000 ft of depth and 80-160 acres of the influence area. When reservoir depth and production influence area are considered simultaneously, the results of the appropriate well depth and spacing calculations show that gas productivity is highest between 600-2,000 ft. In this case, it is appropriate to design well spacing in the range of 80-160 acres. Therefore, well spacing design considering coalbed depth in undeveloped CBM reservoirs can be accomplished using gas sorption test results from coal samples.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.145-154
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• 2022

Complex geological conditions have a great influence on the mining of coalbed methane (CBM), which affects the extraction efficiency of CBM. This investigation analyzed the complicated geological conditions in the Liujia CBM block of Fuxin. A geological model of heterogeneities CBM reservoirs was established to study the influence of strike direction of igneous rocks and fault structures on horizontal well layout. Subsequently, the dual-porosity and dual-permeability mathematical model was established, which considers the dynamic changes of porosity and permeability caused by gas adsorption, desorption, pressure change. The results show that the production curve is in good agreement with the actual by considering gas seepage in matrix pores in the model. Complicated geological structures affect the pressure expansion of horizontal wells, especially, the closer to the fault structure, the more significant the effect, the slower the pressure drop, and the smaller the desorption area. When the wellbore extends to the fault, the pressure expansion is blocked by the fault and the productivity is reduced. In the study area, the optimal distance to the fault is 70 m. When the horizontal wellbore is perpendicular to the direction of coal seam igneous rock, the productivity is higher than that of parallel igneous rock, and the horizontal well bore should be perpendicular to the cleat direction. However, the well length is limited due to the dense distribution of igneous rocks in the Liujia CBM block. Therefore, the horizontal well pumping in the study area should be arranged along the direction of igneous rock and parallel plane cleats. It is found that the larger the area surrounded by igneous rock, the more favorable the productivity. In summary, the reasonable layout of horizontal wells should make full use of the advantages of igneous rock, faults and other complex geological conditions to achieve the goal of high and stable production.