LLL underground coal gasification project: 1978 status

Journal Article · · Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6781627

Aiman, W R; Hill, R W; Stephens, D R; Thompson, D S; Thorsness, C B

The major objective of the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL) project is to develop a commercial underground coal gasification process that produces medium-Btu gas suitable as a chemical feedstock or for upgrading to pipeline quality. In this study, results are presented from the recent LLL underground coal gasification experiment, Hoe Creek No. 2. It was a 2-process well experiment, using both air and oxygen/steam injection: both low- and medium-btu gas were produced. The process wells were spaced 18 M (60 ft) apart and completed within 1.5 m (5 ft) of the bottom of the 7.6-m (25-ft) thick subbituminous coal seam (Felix No. 2), located 38 m (125 ft) below the ground surface. In general, the first step in gasifying coal in place involves increasing the permeability of the native coal. Reverse combustion was used to enhance the permeability for Hoe Creek No. 2. The reverse combustion link was completed in 14 days using air injected under high pressure. Following this, gasification was conducted in forward combustion for a period of 58 days.

• OSTI ID: 6781627
• Journal Information: Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 30; ISSN TANSA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010404* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
090121 -- Hydrocarbon Fuels-- Chemical Synthesis-- (1976-1989)
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290500 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Research
Development
Demonstration
& Commercialization
294001 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Coal
AIR
BOREHOLE LINKING
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL
COAL GASIFICATION
COMBUSTION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GAS INJECTION
GASES
GASIFICATION
IN-SITU GASIFICATION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
INTERMEDIATE BTU GAS
LAWRENCE LIVERMORE LABORATORY
LOW BTU GAS
MATERIALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NONMETALS
OXIDATION
OXYGEN
PERMEABILITY
PROCESSING
PRODUCTION
RECOVERY
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
REVERSE COMBUSTION
STEAM INJECTION
SUBBITUMINOUS COAL
THERMAL RECOVERY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WELL SPACING