Possibilities of the Methane Utilization from Mined and Unmined Coal Seams in Poland

Stopa, Jerzy; Nawrat, S.; Rychlicki, S.

doi:10.2118/130528-ms

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 2 publications

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“…The model includes 17 galleries represented by horizontal wells and acting as existing ventilation system. The model was calibrated using historical data, and the resulting model was able to reproduce the 40 years of history of the coal-mine methane production (Stopa et al, 2009). The calibrated model was then used for the forecasting the further performance of the degassing system as is presented in Fig.3.…”

Section: Perspectives Of the Gob Gas Utilizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possibilities of the Methane Utilization from Mined and Unmined Coal Seams in Poland

Stopa¹,

Nawrat²,

Rychlicki³

2010

Proceedings of SPE EUROPEC/EAGE Annual Conference and Exhibition

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The potential in coal seams gas resources in Poland is estimated to be similar to known conventional reserves (about 150 bln s.cu.m) but present efficiency of utilization is much lower. Many coalmines utilize this gas for a small-scale heating and electricity generation, but global utilization efficiency is as low as 60%. In Poland, methane is recovered mainly for safety reasons from coalmines. This paper presents new possibilities for methane production from abandoned coalmines and from unmineable, deep coal seams. In the first case the gob gas ventholes can be drilled from the surface, in the second case multilateral wells technology can be employed. In the paper, the simulation models of mined and unmined coal seams are presented and discussed. The results are evaluated from both technical and economical point of view. Economical analysis showed positive NPV and IRR=10%. Two case studies presented in this paper show that both abandoned coalmines and unmineable coal seams could be effectively utilized for coalbed methane production using advanced drilling technologies. During the last decade many coalmines over the Europe have been abandoned for both economical and environmental reasons, others are in the terminal state of production. However, some of these mines still contain large resources of methane that could be used for the local purposes like heating or electricity generation. The case study of the Moszczenica coalmine in Poland, including computer simulation of the coal and methane production shows that gob gas can be successfully recovered using new wells drilled from the surface. Presently, the deep unmineable coal seams are often not utilized from economic reasons. The case study presented in this paper shows that they can be effectively utilized for coalbed methane production using advanced drilling technologies like multilateral wells.

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Section: Perspectives Of the Gob Gas Utilizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possibilities of the Methane Utilization from Mined and Unmined Coal Seams in Poland

Stopa¹,

Nawrat²,

Rychlicki³

2010

Proceedings of SPE EUROPEC/EAGE Annual Conference and Exhibition

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Computer Modeling of Coal Bed Methane Recovery in Coal Mines

Stopa

Nawrat

2012

Journal of Energy Resources Technology

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This paper presents an improved reservoir simulation approach to methane production in a longwall mining environment. The coal beds are naturally fractured systems with the gas adsorbed into the coai matrix. Fractures penetrating the coal matrix have limited storage capacity, but they play the role of a gas transportation system. The proposed simulation technique is based on the assumption that a mass of coal removed by mining transfers its gas to adjacent fractures. By using an ECLIPSE coai bed methane simulator, the pore volume of the matrix represents the coai volume of the simulation cell. Consequently, the exploitation of coal can be simulated by modifying the matrix pore volume over time. This paper presents theoretical backgrounds of this approach and investigates numerical effects. A case study of the Moszczenica coai mine in Poland, including computer simulations of methane production, is also reported to show that a long history of the methane and coal recovery can be reproduced using the proposed technique.

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Profitability Calculations of Abandoned Mine Methane Production in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin

Labuda¹

2017

Day 2 Tue, October 10, 2017

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The aim of the paper is to identify whether and to what extent an exploitation of abandoned mine methane (AMM) is economically viable in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB). Nowadays coal mining in many countries is in a crisis because of imposing decarbonization policy on one hand, and displacement of energy based on hard coal by energy based on renewables on the other. It turns out that methane accumulates in significant amounts in abandoned underground coal mines’ pathways, galleries and gobs. Hence, both electricity and heat production (combined heat and power – CHP) from AMM could improve the economic situation of post-mining areas and provide clean energy. Moreover, utilization of AMM exploited by boreholes drilled from surface could increase safety in neighboring working hard coal mines. However, existence of these advantages is determined by economic calculation. Firstly, I identified the factors influencing the level of investment costs and the size of revenues. In both cases I left the popular deterministic assessment and I decided to use stochastic approach, which allows a better reflection of reality by taking into account the variability and unpredictability of the future price of electricity, heat, drilling and other factors. Calculation is based on real data acquired from the local electric power industry. The analysis was possible by using the Monte Carlo method and @Risk program from the Palisade’s package – Decision Tools. Eventually, I prepared sensitivity and scenario analysis to identify which factors have the greatest impact on the profitability of such projects. Abandoned mine methane may soon become a valuable source of income for the mining areas struggling with many socio-economic problems and become a bridge between coal-based energy system and clean energy resources.

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Possibilities of the Methane Utilization from Mined and Unmined Coal Seams in Poland

Cited by 3 publications

References 2 publications

Possibilities of the Methane Utilization from Mined and Unmined Coal Seams in Poland

Possibilities of the Methane Utilization from Mined and Unmined Coal Seams in Poland

Computer Modeling of Coal Bed Methane Recovery in Coal Mines

Profitability Calculations of Abandoned Mine Methane Production in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin

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