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Molecular Insights on Competitive Adsorption of CH4, CO2 and Flue Gas in Shallow and Deep Coals for Gas Injection Technology

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Abstract

Gas injection for enhancing gas recovery (GI–EGR) is a multifaceted process that requires a solid theoretical foundation to be implemented orderly. However, there are limited reports on the micro-mechanisms of GI–EGR technology applied to coalbed methane reservoirs, especially for deep strata. To address this gap, this study utilized molecular simulation techniques to construct the organic pore models of anthracite with varying sizes and morphologies, and explored the micro-dynamic behaviors of CH4 and various gas injected components including N2, CO2 and flue gas confined in nanopores. The aim was to reveal the competitive adsorption mechanisms of gases in multi-component systems under shallow and deep geological conditions. The results demonstrated that the isosteric heats of CH4, N2 and CO2 all increased after the transition from shallow to deep, with rising amplitudes of 18.8%, 22.8% and 17.8%, respectively, in the respective single-component systems. In multi-component adsorption models, the isosteric heats remained higher than those under shallow conditions, but there were some small fluctuations due to the interference between various gases. On the other hand, the self-diffusion coefficients of single CH4, N2 and CO2 in the deep condition decreased by 37.6%, 27.2% and 23.1%, respectively, compared to those in conventional shallow conditions. As a consequence, the difference in diffusivity among various gases would get narrowed. The molecular-level observations herein have the potential to improve the understanding of gas occurrence and lay a solid foundation for the GI–EGR technology.

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Acknowledgments

This research was sponsored by the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province, China (Nos. ZR2022QD012 and ZR2021QD072).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China

    Tingting Yin & Junjian Zhang

  2. Sinopec Petroleum Exploration and Production Research Institute, Beijing, 102206, China

    Qian Li

  3. School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China

    Dameng Liu & Yidong Cai

  4. School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, China

    Junqian Li & Zhentao Dong

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  1. Tingting Yin
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Yin, T., Li, Q., Liu, D. et al. Molecular Insights on Competitive Adsorption of CH4, CO2 and Flue Gas in Shallow and Deep Coals for Gas Injection Technology. Nat Resour Res 33, 1155–1171 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11053-024-10323-7

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