Diffusion Characterization of Coal for

Enhanced Coalbed Methane Production

Pawan Chhajed
 Introduction

• Coalbed Methane: produced and stored in coal seams during the

coalification process.

• Uses: as a fuel, natural gas, and in different industrial chemical

processes.

• Hazard: global warming.

• CBM production increased from near zero in 1980 to ~2 TCF in 2009 in

US.

• Total CBM resource in US is 720 TCF.

 Diffusion
Butt Cleat

Transport of gas from micropores to cleat

network.
Face Cleat

Diffusion Coefficient: describes the rate

of diffusion of gas, depending on the
molecular size, viscosity and temperature.
Matrix Block Containing Micropores

• It is the result of concentration gradient

between matrix and matrix-cleat
interface.

• It is one of the primary transport

phenomena.
 Diffusion Models

• Unipore Model:
- based on Fick’s second law of mass transport.
- assumes that all the pores are of the same radius.

• Bidisperse Model:
- assumes a bi-model pore size distribution.
- Smith and Williams, 1984, used this model to represent the
diffusion behavior of coal.
 Objective

• To investigate the ability of CO2 to displace and enhance the recovery

of adsorbed methane, when injected after partial production.

• Significance:
Study of the diffusion behavior of coal in a multi-gas
environment.

Environment Friendly approach as CO2 is sequestered in

this process.
 Proposed Work

• Establish adsorption/desorption isotherms for pure methane and

CO2, and determine the diffusion coefficient for coal samples –
Completed.

• Establish desorption isotherm for methane-CO2 mixtures with CO2

injection in coal after partial recovery of methane and determine
the diffusion coefficient for coal sample.
Putting all together
Complete Overview
 Production Trends

• Primary method recovers 20-

a
77% of the original gas-in-
place with certain exceptions.

• Higher recovery is possible

using enhanced recovery
techniques.
CO2 Injection
Methane Production

a CO2
Saturation
point

Primary production
rate

Time
 Experimental Setup

Pressure Transducer

Reference Cell

Data Acquisition
Sample Cell System

Constant Temperature Water Bath

 Isotherm Models

Langmuir Model BET Model

V= PVL /(P+PL) 1/V(P0/P-1) =
1/VmC + (C-1)P/VmCP0

where, where,
V = volume adsorbed atVm= monolayer volume,
pressure P,
C = a constant,
VL= maximum volume
P0 = saturation vapor
adsorbed,
pressure,
PL= pressure at which
V = volume adsorbed at
adsorbed gas pressure P.
concentration is one-half of
maximum adsorptive capacity,
VL and PL are known as the
Langmuir Constants.
Preliminary Results

PL (psi) VL
(scft)
CH4 1338 603

CO2 685 1281

 Calculation of Diffusion Coefficient

Fick’s Second Law

Vt 6 ∞ 1  Dn 2 π 2 t 
= 1 − 2 ∑ 2 exp  − 
V∞ π n =1 n  rp2 

where,

Vt=Total Volume of Gas Adsorbed/Desorbed at Time t.

V∞=Total Gas Adsorbed/Desorbed at Infinite Time.

D=Diffusion Coefficient.

rp=Particle Radius.

t=Time.
Diffusion Coefficient v/s Desorption Pressure
 Preliminary Conclusions

• Value of diffusion coefficient, D, is not constant with change in

pressure. A negative correlation between D and pressure is
observed.

• D value increases with desorption, suggesting that the ease of gas

movement increases with production.

• D value is higher for CO2 than methane, suggesting greater

diffusion rate for CO2 than methane.
 Future Work

• Experimental: Two adsorption/desorption experiments

will be carried out on different coal samples.

• Analysis: Translate the experimental results to parameters that

are required in prediction and planning of an enhanced CBM
operation.

• Ascertain the effect of CO2 injection in coal on production of

methane by performing a simulation study.
Thank You

Questions ??