Energy return on investment, energy payback time, and greenhouse gas emissions of coal seam gas (CSG) production in China: a case of the Fanzhuang CSG project

Abstract

The studies and development of coal seam gas (CSG) have been conducted for more than 30 years in China, but few of China's CSG projects have achieved large-scale commercial success; faced with the boom of shale gas, some investors are beginning to lose patience and confidence in CSG. China currently faces the following question: Should the government continue to vigorously support the development of the CSG industry? To provide a reference for policy makers and investors, this paper calculates the EROI stnd [a standardized energy return on investment (EROI) method], EROI ide (the maximum theoretical EROI), EROI 3,i (EROI considering the energy investment in transport), and EROI 3,1?e (EROI with environmental inputs) of a single vertical CSG well in the Fanzhuang CSG project in the Qinshui Basin. The energy payback time (EPT) and the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the CSG systems are also calculated. The results show that over a 15-year lifetime, EROI stnd , EROI ide , EROI 3,1 , and EROI 3,1?e are expected to deliver EROIs of approximately 11:1, 20:1, 7:1, and 6:1, respectively. The EPT within different boundaries is no more than 2 years, and the life-cycle GHG emissions are approximately 18.8 million kg CO 2 equivalent. The relatively high EROI and short EPT indicate that the government should take more positive measures to promote the development of the CSG industry.

Assessing Global Long-Term EROI of Gas: A Net-Energy Perspective on the Energy Transition

“…Wang et al [56] developed a hybrid lifecycle inventory model to estimate the EROI of shale gas development for China. Kong et al [57] estimated the EROI, energy payback time and greenhouse gas emissions of a coal seam gas project, situated in the Qinshui basin (China). Kong et al [58] represented the EROI of natural gas hydrates in the South China Sea.…”

“…A Coal Bed Methane estimate is taken from Kong et al [57]. Low and high estimates are, respectively, a decrease/increase of 20% of the given value, arbitrarily chosen to cover a wide enough range, and evaluate the relative impacts on the final results.…”

Effect of coalbed methane airflow with optimum action concentration on coal oxidation under low temperatures

“…In the 1970s, the United States took the lead in large‐scale commercial development of CBM and achieved major breakthroughs. China, with the third largest CBM reserves in the world, is the second most notable driver of commercial CBM development following the United States 3–5 . Accelerating CBM development can not only safely and reliably alleviate the pressure brought by natural gas shortage but also improve China's energy security situation and greenhouse gas emission reduction.…”