Instrumentation for Pricetown I in-situ coal gasification program

Abstract

The Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) is developing the technology required to recover the deep thin seam Eastern bituminous coal resource by gasification in-situ. The approach is to prove concepts through field tests and to support field testing-with theoretical modeling. METC is currently fielding Pricetown I, the first of two tests scheduled for the Pricetown, West Virginia, underground coal gasification field test. Pricetown I is a small-scale test designed to provide information concerning the in-situ characteristics of the Pittsburgh coal seam; to gain additional experience in the in-situ combustion and gasification of bituminous coal; and to evaluate the functional applicability of the linked vertical concept to recover the Eastern resources. Mound Facility is participating with METC in the design and the implementation of the instrumentation necessary to monitor the surface and subsurface process and product gas stream; and acquire real-time gas analysis and subsurface thermal data. The principal objective of this effort is to provide an integrated instrumentation system that will permit rapid automatic monitoring of subsurface and surface variables and to ensure data storage, retrieval and reduction for process monitoring and results interpretation. Mound also will support METC with the manpower and technical assistance necessary to operate the field instrumentation during the in-situ testing.