Study of the influence of vibration treatment of coal cores as a way to increase gas permeability

Abstract

This paper provides the results of a series of experimental studies on seismic action’s effect on the permeability of coal and hydraulic fractures. The experiments have been carried out using solid coal cores, cores with single through longitudinal cracks simulating drainage hydraulic fractures and cores with the single fractures propped with a low-density proppant designed to intensify the degassing of coal seams. The patterns of the seismic impact on the gas permeability of coal under the conditions of all-round compression have been established in accordance with the results of experiments. Also, the experimental results reveal certain patterns of increase of the drainage cracks’ gas permeability observed when the cracks are propped with proppant and are under the low intensity seismic effect under the conditions of all-round compression. The studies show that the effectiveness of seismic action increases with an increase in the accumulated exposure time, followed by stabilization and persistence of the positive effect for at least 3 - 7 days after the cessation of exposure. The obtained results provide the opportunity to assess the possibility of using seismic action to intensify the degassing of non-propped hydraulic fractures in coal mines.