Tracer and air acceptance characterization of a San Juan basin coal

Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:5392616

Williams, F. L.; Nuttall, H. E.; Tyner, C. E.; Jacobson, R. D.

As part of an ongoing effort to develop and assess the feasibility of underground coal gasification in New Mexico, a field study was performed to determine the natural flow characteristics of an undisturbed coal seam. Dewatering, air injection, and tracer experiments were conducted on a two-hole test pattern, spaced 30 ft apart, in a 15-ft-thick seam located about 500 ft below the surface. This was the first field experiment in coal to utilize a newly developed downhole measuring system designed and operated by Sandia National Laboratories. From the tracer flow logs and air acceptance tests it was found that the formation allows gas flow (100 SCFM at 250 psi) with low water production (50 gpd). While some vertical variation in air flow and tracer residence time through the coal seam was found, all of the coal sustained flow through a relatively low volume of active voids. Only 10 percent of the injected air was recovered and the recovery rate paralleled trends in the injection rate.

• Research Organization: New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque (USA); Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5392616
• Report Number(s): SAND-80-1403C; CONF-800716-7
• Resource Relation: Conference: 6. underground coal conversion symposium, Afton, OK, USA, 13 Jul 1980
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
COAL DEPOSITS
PERMEABILITY
COAL GASIFICATION
EXPLORATION
IN-SITU GASIFICATION
NEW MEXICO
TRACER TECHNIQUES
WATER REMOVAL
GASIFICATION
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
PROCESSING
REMOVAL
RESOURCES
SOUTHWEST REGION
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USA
010404* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Gasification
011000 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration