Will China share in the impressive success of the U.S.A coal bed methane industry? During the past two decades, China has promoted its CBM Industry. Over 160 CBM wells including many testing wells have been drilled throughout eastern China. However, most early efforts clustered around gas-prone but low-permeability coal mines were not successful. Challenges still face CBM developers in China, including complex reservoirs, restricted permeability, and few gas pipelines. On the basis of research and test achievements of CBM exploration and development obtained during the 7th, 8th and 9th Five-Year Plan periods, we speculate the potential CBM resource in china is about 22.5 trillion cubic meters. The resource is mostly in three major CBM provinces: Ordos, Qinshui, and North China (Huabei) basins. CBM testing was mostly concentrated in three areas in the past twenty years. The authors thought first CBM field of china would be found in Ordos or Qinshui basin in ten years through contrast among CBM targets. And the production rate per year will be over 10-15 billion cubic meters, CBM will Play an important role in future energy industry.
展开▼
