Petroleum Reservoir Evaluation and Development

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Model modification and experimental study on pulverized coal migration in coalbed methane well

WANG Yibing1, ZHANG Fei2,3, LAI Peng1, LIAO Zhengkai1, MEI Wenbo2,3, YANG Qi2,3, LI Guichuan2,3, ZHANG Jintao2,3, XIAN Baoan2,3, BI Yansen2,3   

  1. 1. Xinjiang Yaxin Coalbed Methane Investment and Development (Group) Co., Ltd., Urumqi, Xinjiang 830000, China;
    2. China United Coalbed Methane Co., Ltd., Beijing 100015, China;
    3. Innovation Center of Three-gas Co-production Technology., Taiyuan, Shanxi 030032, China;
    4. School of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, Henan 454000, China
  • Received:2025-01-06

Abstract: Coalbed methane (CBM) is developed by drainage and depressurization of pump. The output and migration of pulverized coal is an important factor affecting the gas production characteristics of CBM wells. Due to the influence of coal heterogeneity, reservoir reconstruction and drainage system, the output and migration characteristics of pulverized coal in each production stage of CBM well are different. Based on the collection and analysis of pulverized coal in CBM wells in Panzhuang, Shouyang and Shizhuang blocks, the morphology, concentration and composition characteristics of pulverized coal produced by drainage are revealed. In order to study the influence of the shape factor of pulverized coal particles on the static settling velocity, according to the distribution characteristics of pulverized coal particles produced in CBM wells, the characterization parameters of pulverized coal shape factor were introduced to modify the calculation model of static settling velocity of pulverized coal particles. And the modified model has been verified and analyzed by experiments. According to the results of vertical wellbore pulverized coal migration experiment in laboratory, the critical velocity of pulverized coal particle migration has been proved, and the critical displacement of pulverized coal migration with different particle sizes have been analyzed and evaluated. The results show that the main components of coal powder from CBM wells are clay minerals (average content is 74.4%) and the particle size is concentrated in the range of 2-50 μm. The particle size of pulverized coal increases first and then decreases with the production stage of coalbed methane. The calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental results (R2=99%) by introducing the shape factor of pulverized coal into the final velocity model of particle static sedimentation, which improves the calculation accuracy of the critical migration velocity of pulverized coal in the wellbore. Combined with the production system of CBM wells and the wellbore pulverized coal migration experiment in laboratory, the critical migration velocities of 250~>180、180~150、380~38 μm pulverized coal particles are 0.020 m/s, 0.010 m/s and 0.035 m/s, respectively, and the corresponding minimum water production is 5.2 m3/d, 2.6 m3/d and 8.5 m3/d, respectively. The daily water production of a single well is greater than the minimum water production, which will reduce the risk of pulverized coal sedimentation and pump sticking in the wellbore, and provide technical support for the optimization of production system, which give technical guidance for continuous and stable production.

Key words: CBM, pulverized coal, sedimentation, model modification, migration experiment

CLC Number: 

  • TE319