Enhanced Coal Bed Methane Production and Sequestration of CO(sub 2) in Unmineable Coal Seams. Semi-Annual Technical Progress Report October 1, 2003 through March 31, 2004.
The availability of clean, affordable energy is essential for the prosperity and security of the United States and the world in the 21st century. Emissions of carbon dioxide (CO(sub 2)) into the atmosphere are an inherent part of electricity generation, transportation, and industrial processes that rely on fossil fuels. These energy-related activities are responsible for more than 80 percent of the U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, and most of these emissions are CO(sub 2). Over the last few decades, an increased concentration of CO(sub 2) in the earth's atmosphere has been observed. Carbon sequestration technology offers an approach to redirect CO(sub 2) emissions into sinks (e.g., geologic formations, oceans, soils and vegetation) and potentially stabilize future atmospheric CO(sub 2) levels. Coal seams are attractive CO(sub 2) sequestration sinks, due to their abundance and proximity to electricity-generation facilities. The recovery of marketable coalbed methane (CBM) provides a value-added stream, potentially reducing the cost to sequester CO(sub 2) gas. Much research is needed to evaluate this technology in terms of CO(sub 2) storage capacity, sequestration stability, commercial feasibility and overall economics. CONSOL Energy Inc., Research & Development (CONSOL), with support from the US DOE, has embarked on a seven-year program to construct and operate a coal bed sequestration site composed of a series of horizontally drilled wells that originate at the surface and extend through two overlying coal seams. Once completed, all of the wells will be used initially to drain CBM from both the upper (mineable) and lower (unmineable) coal seams. After sufficient depletion of the reservoir, centrally located wells in the lower coal seam will be converted from CBM drainage wells to CO(sub 2) injection ports. CO(sub 2) will be measured and injected into the lower unmineable coal seam while CBM continues to drain from both seams. In addition to metering all injected CO(sub 2) and recovered CBM, the program includes additional monitoring wells to further examine horizontal and vertical migration of CO(sub 2). This is the fifth Technical Progress report for the project. Progress this period was focused on reclamation of the north access road and north well site, and development of revised drilling methods. This report provides a concise overview of project activities this period and plans for future work.
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