Experimental Study of Temperature Effect on Methane Adsorption Dynamic and Isotherm

Abstract

Knowing the methane adsorption dynamic is of great importance for evaluating shale gas reserves and predicting gas well production. Many experiments have been carried out to explore the influence of many aspects on the adsorption dynamic of methane on shale rock. However, the temperature effect on the adsorption dynamic as a potential enhanced shale gas recovery has not been well addressed in the publications. To explore the temperature effect on the adsorption dynamic of methane on gas shale rock, we conducted experimental measurement by using the volumetric method. We characterized the adsorption dynamic of methane on gas shale powders and found that the curves of pressure response at different pressure steps and temperatures all have the same tendency to decrease fast at first, then slowly in the middle and remain stable at last, indicating the methane molecules are mainly adsorbed in the initial stage. Methane adsorption dynamic and isotherm can be well fitted by the Bangham model and the Freundlich model, respectively. The constant z of the Bangham model first decreases and then increases with equilibrium pressure increasing at each temperature, and it decreases with temperature increasing at the same pressure. The adsorption rate, constant k of the Bangham model, is linearly positively correlated with the natural log of the equilibrium pressure, and it decreases with temperature increasing at the same pressure. Constant K and n of the Freundlich model all decrease with temperature increasing, indicating that low temperatures are favorable for methane adsorption on shale powders, and high temperatures can obviously reduce constant K and n of the Freundlich model. Finally, we calculated isosteric enthalpy and found that isosteric enthalpy is linearly positively correlated with the adsorption amount. These results will be profoundly meaningful for understanding the mechanism of methane adsorption dynamic on shale powders and provide a potential pathway to enhance shale gas recovery.