Study on gas content variation and main controlling of low-rank coal in Huanglong Jurassic coalfield

Abstract

In order to study the controlled factors and variation of gas content in deep low-rank coal reservoirs, taking No.4 coal of Jurassic Yan’an Formation in Huanglong coalfield as an example, collects the production data and prepares the coal samples. Carrying out the coal rock and coal quality test and multi-temperature methane isothermal adsorption experiment to explore the influence of different temperature and pressure conditions on coal adsorption capacity, and analyzes the variation characteristics of gas content with burial depth combined with geological conditions. The results show that the sedimentary, structural and hydrogeological conditions have a certain influence on the formation and preservation of coalbed methane. The gas content increases with the increase of coalification degree and vitrinite content, and decreases with the increase of inertinite content, ash yield and volatile yield. With the increase of moisture, the gas content increased first and then decreased. When the pressure is less than 4 MPa, the adsorption capacity increases about 4-4.7m3/t with the increase of pressure, and the increasing trend slows down when the pressure is greater than 4 MPa. The adsorption capacity decreased more obviously with the increase of temperature when the temperature increased from 25°C to 35°C. Based on the prediction model of saturated adsorption capacity of deep coal reservoirs, it is found that there is a gas content critical conversion depth 800-900 m. The gas content shows a process of rapid increase (<800 m)-slow increase (800–900 m)-gradual decrease (>900 m) with the increase of burial depth. Below 800 m, the positive effect of reservoir pressure is dominant, and the gas content increases with burial depth. Above 900 m, the negative effect of reservoir temperature is dominant, and the gas content decreases with burial depth. The study results provide a theoretical basis for the development of deep low-rank coalbed methane resources.