Application of image-based diffusion coefficients in multi-scale simulation of coalbed methane reservoirs

Abstract

Gas diffusion in coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs is a multi-scale process. It can be a dominant factor in long-term gas production performance. Producing coalbed methane requires a detailed understanding of diffusion behaviours and their contribution to production. This paper develops a core-scale model based on micro-CT images. Our model considers free and adsorbed gas diffusion, sorption, and viscous flow. It also includes the effect of swelling, gas moisture, and effective stress. Following that, it is used to simulate gas flow on micro-CT images. The simulation results quantify the influence of effective stress on gas diffusion in coal. The core-scale model is then coupled to the large-scale simulation, where we compare the gas production curves against the result based on the assumption of a constant diffusion coefficient. This model can be used to calculate the effective diffusion coefficient from a micro-CT image and to predict the production performance at the reservoir scale reliably using a coupled multi-scale approach.