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Effects of Methane Saturation and Nitrogen Pressure on N2–Enhanced Coalbed Methane Desorption Strain Characteristics of Medium-Rank Coal

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Abstract

To understand the characteristics of medium-rank coal reservoir desorption in N2–enhanced coalbed methane (N2–ECBM), three groups of nitrogen injection–sealing–desorption strain tests, including atmospheric pressure and successive decreasing outlet pressure (SDOP) desorption, methane saturation and I/A pressure ratio tests (nitrogen injection pressure/methane adsorption pressure), were carried out with four coal samples using an adsorption/desorption strain instrument designed in-house. The results showed that atmospheric pressure desorption cannot represent the samples’ desorption characteristics during the process of reservoir drainage, and the test data for desorption shrinkage strain were 20–40% less than the SDOP desorption data. The average shrinkage/swelling strain ratios (SSRs) during the nitrogen sealing of the samples were directly proportional to the sample saturation. The shrinkage strain in samples with high methane saturations was assumed to arise from methane desorption in the micropore system. When the I/A pressure ratios were 2.3, 1.75 and 1.4, the cumulative SSR of the nitrogen sealing and the SDOP desorption were 198.01%, 118.07%, and 104.06%, respectively; the shrinkage strain was produced mainly during the nitrogen sealing stage. The relationship between the shrinkage/swelling strain and the volume of adsorbed/desorbed gas was a polynomial, while the relationship between the shrinkage strain and time was a negative exponential function. The shrinkage strain rate (the relationship between shrinkage strain and time) was affected by gas saturation and I/A pressure ratio. With increasing gas saturation, the shrinkage strain rate gradually decreased and then increased with increasing I/A pressure ratio. N2–ECBM was more effective for high-saturation and low-gas-content coal reservoirs. This work revealed the properties of desorption rate and strain deformation in N2–ECBM, providing guidance for N2–ECBM of medium-rank coal.

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Acknowledgments

This study was sponsored by the independent innovation project of “Double First-Class” construction of the China University of Mining and Technology (2018ZZCX05) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41772158). The authors are grateful to the Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development for the experimental support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Coalbed Methane Resources and Dynamic Accumulation Process, China University of Mining and Technology, Ministry of Education, Xuzhou, 221008, Jiangsu Province, China

    Zhenzhi Wang, Xuehai Fu, Ming Hao & He Zhou

  2. Unconventional Oil and Gas Key Laboratory of CNPC, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, PetroChina, Beijing, 100083, China

    Ze Deng

  3. State Key Laboratory of Coal and CBM Co-mining, Jincheng, 048012, Shanxi, China

    Guofu Li

  4. School of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, China

    Jienan Pan

  5. School of Resources and Earth Science, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221003, China

    Xuehai Fu

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  1. Zhenzhi Wang
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Correspondence to Xuehai Fu.

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Wang, Z., Deng, Z., Fu, X. et al. Effects of Methane Saturation and Nitrogen Pressure on N2–Enhanced Coalbed Methane Desorption Strain Characteristics of Medium-Rank Coal. Nat Resour Res 30, 1527–1545 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11053-020-09783-4

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