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The Mystery of Coal Seam Methane: How Did It Become a Vital Source of Global Energy?
Coalbed methane, also known as coal bed methane or coal seam gas, has become increasingly important in the global energy market in recent years. This natural gas mainly comes from coal seams, especially coal fields in the United States, Canada, Australia and other places. The characteristic of coalbed methane is that it is stored in the form of methane and usually does not contain hydrogen sulfide, so it is called "sweet gas". With the growth of energy demand, the development and utilization of coalbed methane is receiving more and more attention.
The formation of coalbed methane is mainly due to the production of organic matter during the thermal maturation process, and is different from traditional natural gas reserves.
History of Coalbed Methane
Historically, the study of coalbed methane originated from the release of methane from coal seams. For safety reasons, as early as the early 20th century, drilling began before coal mines began operating to release methane. By the 1970s, with the support of the U.S. federal government and policy changes, coalbed methane as a natural gas resource ushered in a major development opportunity.
Storage characteristics of coalbed methane
The main component of coalbed methane is methane, which is stored in the alcohol-based macromolecules of coal. Coalbed methane reserves have dual porosity characteristics, including both gas contained in the coal and gas formed by natural cracks in the coal. This structure enables coalbed methane to have good fluidity and storage properties.
Adsorption capacity
The adsorption capacity of coal refers to the volume of gas that can be adsorbed per ton of coal, usually expressed in standard cubic feet. This capacity is affected by the maturity and quality of the coal and generally ranges from 100 to 800 standard cubic feet per ton.
Mining process
Coalbed methane is typically extracted by drilling a steel casing beneath the coal seam. As the pressure inside the coal seam decreases, the gas and produced water rise to the surface together. The gas is then introduced into a compression station and enters the natural gas pipeline system. Depending on the region, the water produced is treated in different ways.
Every year, water produced from coalbed methane may contain high concentrations of dissolved solids and hazardous substances, and the impact on the environment cannot be ignored.
Environmental impact
Although coalbed methane emits lower carbon dioxide when burned, the methane it releases has a greater impact on the environment. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, with an impact on global warming that is up to 72 times greater than that of carbon dioxide, although this value decreases over time.
Global coalbed methane mining situation
Currently, Australia, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries are actively developing coalbed methane. According to 2017 data, the United States produced 1.76 trillion cubic feet of coalbed methane, accounting for 3.6% of the country's natural gas production. For all countries, coalbed methane is not only an important source of energy supply, but also a key factor in promoting economic development.
Australia's coal seam gas reserves are estimated to be close to 33 trillion cubic feet, while Alberta, Canada, has more than 170 trillion cubic feet of economically recoverable coal seam gas.
Future Outlook
The global demand for coalbed methane is still rising, but the environmental problems that may arise during the mining process still need to be urgently addressed. Enterprises and governments need to formulate corresponding environmental protection policies to reduce output emissions and water pollution.
With the change of energy transformation and demand, can coalbed methane play a more important role in the future energy landscape?
