Isothermal Desorption Hysteretic Model for Deep Coalbed Methane Development

Abstract

The adsorption/desorption mechanism of coalbed methane is significant for gas control and coalbed methane exploitation; scholars have done a lot of research on it and generally have confidence in that temperature, pressure, and moisture are central factors affecting the adsorption of coalbed methane. Considering the reduction of recovery efficiency caused by desorption hysteresis in deep coalbed methane drainage, the effects of high reservoir pressure, high gas content, and low permeability on the hysteresis index were analyzed. A desorption hysteresis model based on the combination of dual-porosity media and traditional Langmuir adsorption theory was proposed. By comparing with the four experimental data of Ma et al., the advantages of the new model in fitting desorption data were investigated. Based on the new desorption hysteresis model, the hysteresis index was calculated from the adsorption capacity and desorption capacity under the abandonment pressure. The hysteresis index under different coal sizes and adsorption pressure were calculated, and a good linear relationship was found between the adsorption pressure and the hysteresis index. Through a large number of field production data analysis, the following conclusions are drawn: as the adsorption pressure increases, the hysteresis index enhances; when the coal sample size increases, the hysteresis index also increases. Finally, by comparing experimental data from deep and shallow coal samples, the influence of desorption hysteresis on deep coalbed methane mining was explored. This paper draws the conclusion that although the gas content in deep coalbed methane is considerable, its hysteresis index is also enhanced, which makes coalbed methane development more difficult. The findings of this study can provide theoretical support for coal bed gas control and coal bed methane heat injection mining.