Research on the Processes of Injecting CO<sub>2</sub> into Coal Seams with CH<sub>4</sub> Recovery Using Horizontal Wells

The paper presents a research study on modeling and computer simulation of injecting CO<sub>2</sub> into the coal seams of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, Poland connected with enhanced coal bed methane (ECBM) recovery. In the initial stage of the research activities, a structural paramet...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jarosław Chećko, Tomasz Urych, Małgorzata Magdziarczyk, Adam Smolinski
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-01-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
ccs
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/2/416
Description
Summary:The paper presents a research study on modeling and computer simulation of injecting CO<sub>2</sub> into the coal seams of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, Poland connected with enhanced coal bed methane (ECBM) recovery. In the initial stage of the research activities, a structural parameter model was developed specifically with reference to the coal-bearing formations of the Upper Carboniferous for which basic parameters of coal quality and the distribution of methane content were estimated. In addition, a lithological model of the overall reservoir structure was developed and the reservoir parameters of the storage site were analyzed. In the next stage of the research, the static model was supplemented with detailed reservoir parameters as well as the thermodynamic properties of fluids and complex gases. The paper discusses a series of simulations of an enhanced coalbed methane recovery process with a simultaneous injection of carbon dioxide. The analyses were performed using the ECLIPSE software designed for simulating coal seam processes. The results of the simulations demonstrated that the total volume of CO<sub>2</sub> injected to a designated seam in a coal mine during the period of one year equaled 1,954,213 sm<sup>3</sup>. The total amount of water obtained from the production wells during the whole period of the simulations (6.5 years) was 9867 sm<sup>3</sup>. At the same time, 15,558,906 sm<sup>3</sup> of gas was recovered, out of which 14,445,424 sm<sup>3</sup> was methane. The remaining 7% of the extracted gas was carbon dioxide as a result of reverse production of the previously injected CO<sub>2</sub>. However, taking into consideration the phenomena of coal matrix shrinking and swelling, the total amount of injected CO<sub>2</sub> decreased to approximately 625,000 sm<sup>3</sup>.
ISSN:1996-1073