Enhanced coal bed methane recovery is a method of producing additional

coalbed methane Coalbed methane (CBM or coal-bed methane), coalbed gas, coal seam gas (CSG), or coal-mine methane (CMM) is a form of natural gas extracted from coal beds. In recent decades it has become an important source of energy in United States, Canada, Au ...

from a source rock, similar to

enhanced oil recovery Enhanced oil recovery (abbreviated EOR), also called tertiary recovery, is the extraction of crude oil from an oil field that cannot be extracted otherwise. EOR can extract 30% to 60% or more of a reservoir's oil, compared to 20% to 40% using ...

applied to

oil field A petroleum reservoir or oil and gas reservoir is a subsurface accumulation of hydrocarbons contained in porous or fractured rock formations. Such reservoirs form when kerogen (ancient plant matter) is created in surrounding rock by the presence ...

s. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) injected into a

bituminous coal Bituminous coal, or black coal, is a type of coal containing a tar-like substance called bitumen or asphalt. Its coloration can be black or sometimes dark brown; often there are well-defined bands of bright and dull material within the seams. It ...

bed would occupy pore space and also

adsorb Adsorption is the adhesion of atoms, ions or molecules from a gas, liquid or dissolved solid to a surface. This process creates a film of the ''adsorbate'' on the surface of the ''adsorbent''. This process differs from absorption, in which a fl ...

onto the carbon in the coal at approximately twice the rate of methane (CH₄), allowing for potential enhanced gas recovery. This technique may be used in conjunction with carbon capture and storage in mitigation of global warming where the carbon dioxide that is sequestered is captured from the output of fossil fuel power plants. A research project at

ETH Zurich (colloquially) , former_name = eidgenössische polytechnische Schule , image = ETHZ.JPG , image_size = , established = , type = Public , budget = CHF 1.896 billion (2021) , rector = Günther Dissertori , president = Joël Mesot , ac ...

is studying the process of pumping carbon dioxide into unminable coal seams and recovering the methane that is subsequently displaced. An extensive experimental investigation about the process of desorbing methane by adsorbing carbon dioxide in real coal samples was performed. The proof of principle and the technical feasibility of the method could be verified with these measurements. These research results indicate that CBM can become an alternative to conventional natural gas. ECBM provides additional to CBM the advantage of long-term storage in the underground coal seams. However, without other incentives, enhanced coal bed methane recovery is not economical as the commercial value of the released methane does not completely offset the cost of pumping. Penetration of CO₂ into coal is simulated using a stress-enhanced diffusion model.A. Mikelić and J. Bruining. (2008). Analysis of Model Equations for Stress-Enhanced Diffusion in Coal Layers. Part I: Existence of a Weak solution. ''SIAM J. Math. Anal.'',40:1671-1691

References

{{reflist, 30em Coal technology Energy development Methane

See also

Further reading

References