Hoe Creek experiments: LLNL's underground coal-gasification project in Wyoming

Technical Report · Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:5353586

Stephens, D R

Under the sponsorship of the US Department of Energy and predecessor organizations, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory carried out a laboratory program and three field, underground coal gasification tests near Gillette, Wyoming. This report summarizes that work. Three methods of linking or connecting injection and production wells were used for the UCG field tests: Hoe Creek No. 1 employed explosive fracturing, Hoe Creek No. 2 featured use of reverse combustion, and directional drilling was used for the Hoe Creek No. 3. The Gas Research Institute cosponsored the latter test. Laboratory experiments and modeling, together with a laboratory and field environment program, are necessary adjuncts to the field program. Explosive fracturing in coal was simulated using computer models and laboratory tests. We developed a relationship of total inelastic strains to permeability, which we used to design and interpret a coal outcrop, explosive fracturing experiment at Kemmerer, Wyoming. Coal gasification was also simulated in laboratory experiments and with computer models. The primary aim has been to predict and correlate reaction, thermal-front propagation rates, and product gas composition as a function of bed properties and process operating conditions. Energy recovery in the form of produced gas and liquids amounted to 73% of the energy in the consumed coal. There were essentially no losses to the subsurface formation. The greatest energy loss was in steam production.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5353586
• Report Number(s): UCRL-53211; ON: DE82012427
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
FUEL GAS
CALORIFIC VALUE
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
IN-SITU GASIFICATION
FIELD TESTS
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
BOREHOLE LINKING
COAL GASIFICATION
CORRELATIONS
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
EXPLOSIVE FRACTURING
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
OXYGEN
REVERSE COMBUSTION
SITE SELECTION
STEAM
WATER INFLUX
WYOMING
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTION PROPERTIES
COMMINUTION
DATA
DRILLING
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FLUIDS
FRACTURING
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GASIFICATION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
INFORMATION
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDATION
PROCESSING
TESTING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USA
010404* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Gasification