Coal-Seq III Consortium: Advancing the Science of CO2 Sequestration in Coal Seam and Gas Shale Reservoirs

摘要

Coal-Seq III is a 3-year public-private consortium primarily sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and performed by Advanced Resources International (ARI) in partnership with Southern Illinois University (SIU), Oklahoma State University (OSU), and Higgs-Palmer Technologies. The consortium has a primary objective to advance scientifically-based simulation capabilities for CO2 storage in coalbed methane and gas shale reservoirs in the presence of multi-component gases and other fluids in order to improve how current simulation tools model the effects of high pressure CO2 on the integrity and swelling/shrinkage of the coal matrix and its permeability as well as proper algorithms for the adsorptive capability of wet coals. To accomplish this goal, coal samples from various U.S. basins are being used in the laboratory to study the potential existence of a change in mechanical properties for the coal (weakening/failure) under high-pressure CO2 injection and depletion. Laboratory experiments also include the investigation of coal shrinkage (during production) and swelling (during injection) under field replicated conditions. In addition; new improved adsorption models are being developed to realistically simulate sequestration in wet coal and gas shale reservoirs. Based on the laboratory and theoretical results, three new geochemical and geo-mechanical modules will be developed. Finally, the feasibility of storing CO2 in shale reservoirs will be studied using actual datasets, leveraging the basic science work developed by this effort. To do so, the Coal-Seq III Consortium work will calibrate the accuracy of these modules with data from large-scale field studies, such as the DOE sponsored CO2 injection demonstration within the San Juan basin's Fruitland coal, and incorporate these modules into an advanced, coupled simulation model. The end result will be improved tools that are informed by Coal-Seq laboratory efforts and that have been tuned with field injection data. This paper will describe the efforts to date in meeting these research objectives.