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Geoscience ›› 2022, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (05): 1360-1370.DOI: 10.19657/j.geoscience.1000-8527.2022.026

• Coalbed Methane Geology and Development • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Coal Reservoir Gas Content Correction Based on Coalbed Methane Well Production Data

YAN Taotao1(), GUO Yilin2, MENG Yanjun1, CHANG Suoliang1, JIN Shangwen1, KANG Lifang3, FU Xinyu1, WANG Qingqing1, ZHAO Yuan1, ZHANG Yu1   

  1. 1. College of Mining Technology, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan,Shanxi 030024, China
    2. School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
    3. Research and Development Center of China United Coalbed Methane Co.Ltd., Taiyuan, Shanxi 030000, China
  • Received:2022-01-15 Revised:2022-06-01 Online:2022-10-10 Published:2022-11-03

Abstract:

It is found that the cumulative production of coalbed methane wells in some coalbed methane (CBM) blocks (Qinshui basin: Panzhuang and Panhe CBM blocks; Ordos basin: Baode CBM block) is far greater than the original calculated geological proven reserve.This phenomenon has made a challenge on the calculated geological reserve by volume method, and put forward a new way for the overall increase of geological reserve.In the CBM reserve calculation by volume method, the accuracy of gas-bearing area and gas content, as well as the heterogeneity of coal density and thickness would all affect the accuracy of reserve parameters.Due to the limitation of coring and analysis, errors are common exist in the calculation of gas content.In this study, a minimum critical gas content calculation method (Critical Minimum Method) was proposed, based on the production data and coal isothermal adsorption experimental data from CBM wells in the Ordos and Qinshui basins.Then, the calculated critical minimum gas content was compared with the measured gas content, according to the direct measurement method proposed by the United States Bureau of Mines (USBM) and the Smith-Williams method.The geologic controlling mechanism of the D-value between the gas contents (based on USBM and Critical Minimum Method) was also analyzed.The results show that in the medium-low to medium-high coal ranks (Ro= 0.7%-2.1%), the gas content calculated by the Critical Minimum Method is generally higher than that by the USBM and Smith-Williams method.The Critical Minimum Method shows strong adaptability in this coal rank range.In the range of high coal ranks (Ro=2.1%-2.8%), the results by Critical Minimum Method can serve as mutual support with the coring sample measurement results.Generally, the D-value between these two gas contents (based on USBM and Critical Minimum Method) is affected by the pore/fracture development characteristics in different coal ranks, coal structure development, gas saturation, and escape time of the coring process.The D-value is positively correlated with the porosity and permeability, coal structure development, gas saturation and escape time.In addition, for the CBM wells with no cores collected, drilling cuttings can be used for isothermal adsorption parameters measurement.Gas content of coal reservoir can be obtained by the Critical Minimum Method, which can provide a data basis for further CBM exploration and development.

Key words: gas content, critical minimum gas content, correction method, production data, coalbed methane

CLC Number: