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Geomechanical aspects of coalbed methane (CBM) production: Flow model formulation François B ERTRAND & Frédéric C OLLIN I NTRODUCTION Coalbed methane (CBM): miner’s curse valuable fuel. From [1]. Coals = naturally fracturated reservoirs Blocks delimited by two sets of orthogonal fractures (fractures = cleats). Coal deposits = (generally) aquifers methane maintained adsorbed within the coal matrix by the hydrostatic pressure. CBM production = generate a pressure drop by dewatering the cleats. Gas molecules diffuse in the matrix to reach the cleats which are preferential pathways (higher permeability). From [2]. Two distinct phenomena affecting permeability: 1. Pressure depletion Reservoir compaction Cleat permeability & 2. Gas desorption Coal matrix shrinkage Cleat permeability % H YDRAULIC MODEL Flow model Matrix: diffusive gas flow Fick’s law (Continuum modelling) J g i = -D ∂C g ∂x i (1) Direct modelling Continuum modelling Cleats: advective flow Macroscopic approach: Darcy’s law (Continuum modelling) Microscopic approach: solve Navier-Stokes between two parallel plates (Direct modelling) h x x 2 1 v (x ) 1 2 q = - h 2 12 · 1 μ dp dx 1 (2) Equivalent to Darcy with k = h 2 12 For unsaturated conditions: k r (S r ) accounts for the reduction in permeability. q i = - k r · k ij μ · ∂p ∂x j (3) Gas storage in the matrix Pressure Adsorbed volume V L P L V L 2 V g,Ad [m 3 /kg ]= V L · p P L + p (4) P L and V L : Langmuir’s parameters [3] Adsorbed gas density: ρ g,Ad [kg/m 3 ]= ρ coal · ρ g,std · V g,Ad (5) Mass balance equations Microscopic approach Matrix (Continuum modelling) Gas ∂t (ρ g,Ad )+ ∂x i (J g i )= E MatrixCleats (6) Cleats (Direct modelling) Gas ∂t (ρ g,f (1 - S r,w )) + ∂x i (ρ g,f q g,f i ) | {z } Gas phase + ∂t (g,f S r,w )+ ∂x i (g,f q w i + S r,w J g i ) | {z } Dissolved gas in water phase = E CleatsMatrix (7) Water ∂t (ρ w S r,w )+ ∂x i (ρ w q w i ) =0 (8) Gas desorption Matrix Cleat Gas diffusion Gas flow E Water flow C ONTACT I NFORMATIONS [email protected] [email protected] R EFERENCES [1] S. Laubach, R. Marrett, J. Olson, and A. Scott, “Characteristics and origins of coal cleat: a review,” International Journal of Coal Geology, vol. 35, no. 1, pp. 175–207, 1998. [2] A. Al-Jubori, S. Johnston, C. Boyer, S. W. Lambert, O. A. Bustos, J. C. Pashin, and A. Wray, “Coalbed methane: clean energy for the world,” Oilfield Review, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 4–13, 2009. [3] I. Langmuir, “The adsorption of gases on plane surfaces of glass, mica and platinum.,” Journal of the American Chemical society, vol. 40, no. 9, pp. 1361–1403, 1918. C ONCLUSION Changes in reservoir properties = crucial issue for CBM recovery. But sorption- and stress-induced coal permeability alteration are improperly simplified by classical macroscopic modelling approaches! It is preferable to use a "Microscopic" approach because the discretization is made at the scale of the cleats and matrix. However, the computational cost is too expensive at the scale of a reservoir. The microscopic model will be the basis for a multi-scale approach. A CKNOWLEDGMENT Ces recherches sont soutenues par le FRIA (Fonds pour la Recherche dans l’Industrie et l’Agriculture).
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Page 1: Flow model formulation Geomechanical aspects of coalbed ... aspects of coalbed methane (CBM) production: Flow model formulation ... “Characteristics and origins of coal cleat: a

Geomechanical aspects of coalbed methane (CBM) production:Flow model formulation

François BERTRAND & Frédéric COLLIN

INTRODUCTION

Coalbed methane (CBM): miner’s curse⇒ valuable fuel.

From [1].

Coals = naturally fracturated reservoirs

Blocks delimited by two sets of orthogonal fractures(fractures = cleats).

Coal deposits = (generally) aquifers

→methane maintained adsorbed within the coalmatrix by the hydrostatic pressure.

↓CBM production = generate a pressure drop by

dewatering the cleats.

→ Gas molecules diffuse in the matrix to reach the cleats which arepreferential pathways (higher permeability). From [2].

Two distinct phenomena affecting permeability:

1. Pressure depletion → Reservoir compaction → Cleat permeability↘2. Gas desorption → Coal matrix shrinkage → Cleat permeability↗

HYDRAULIC MODEL

Flow model

• Matrix: diffusive gas flow→ Fick’s law (Continuum modelling)

Jgi = −D∂Cg

∂xi(1)

Direct modelling Continuum modelling

• Cleats: advective flow

– Macroscopic approach: Darcy’s law (Continuum modelling)

– Microscopic approach: solve Navier-Stokes between two parallel plates (Direct modelling)

hx

x2

1

v (x )1 2

q = −h2

12· 1µ

dp

dx1(2)

→ Equivalent to Darcy with k = h2

12

For unsaturated conditions: kr(Sr) accountsfor the reduction in permeability.

qi = −kr · kijµ

· ∂p∂xj

(3)

Gas storage → in the matrix

Pressure

Ad

so

rbe

d v

olu

me

VL

PL

VL

2

Vg,Ad [m3/kg] =VL · pPL + p

(4)

PL and VL: Langmuir’s parameters [3]

→ Adsorbed gas density:

ρg,Ad [kg/m3] = ρcoal · ρg,std · Vg,Ad (5)

Mass balance equationsMicroscopic approach

• Matrix (Continuum modelling)

– Gas ∂

∂t(ρg,Ad) +

∂xi(Jgi) = EMatrix→Cleats (6)

• Cleats (Direct modelling)

– Gas

∂t(ρg,f (1− Sr,w)) +

∂xi(ρg,f qg,f i)︸ ︷︷ ︸

Gas phase

+∂

∂t(Hρg,f Sr,w) +

∂xi(Hρg,f qwi + Sr,w Jgi)︸ ︷︷ ︸

Dissolved gas in water phase

= ECleats→Matrix

(7)

– Water ∂

∂t(ρwSr,w) +

∂xi(ρw qwi) = 0 (8)

Gas desorption

Matrix

Cleat

Gas diffusion

Gas flow

E

Water flow

CONTACT INFORMATIONS

[email protected]@ulg.ac.be

REFERENCES

[1] S. Laubach, R. Marrett, J. Olson, and A. Scott, “Characteristics and origins of coal cleat: a review,” International Journalof Coal Geology, vol. 35, no. 1, pp. 175–207, 1998.

[2] A. Al-Jubori, S. Johnston, C. Boyer, S. W. Lambert, O. A. Bustos, J. C. Pashin, and A. Wray, “Coalbed methane: cleanenergy for the world,” Oilfield Review, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 4–13, 2009.

[3] I. Langmuir, “The adsorption of gases on plane surfaces of glass, mica and platinum.,” Journal of the American Chemicalsociety, vol. 40, no. 9, pp. 1361–1403, 1918.

CONCLUSION

Changes in reservoir properties = crucial issue for CBM recovery.

But sorption- and stress-induced coal permeability alteration are improperly simplified by classical macroscopic modelling approaches!

→ It is preferable to use a "Microscopic" approach because the discretization is made at the scale of the cleats and matrix.

However, the computational cost is too expensive at the scale of a reservoir.

→ The microscopic model will be the basis for a multi-scale approach.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Ces recherches sont soutenues par le FRIA (Fonds pour laRecherche dans l’Industrie et l’Agriculture).