Recent underground observations of intercepted hydraulic stimulations in coalbed methane drainage wells

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:7148009

Diamond, W P; Oyler, D C

The Bureau of Mines has been investigating several techniques, including the use of horizontal and vertical boreholes, to remove gas from coal in advance of mining. Horizontal boreholes drilled from underground workings as part of the mining cycle have been shown to be very effective in providing short-term, immediate relief from high methane emissions. The vertical borehole technique has the additional advantage over horizontal boreholes of allowing work to be performed on the surface instead of in the more restrictive underground environment. However, except for the relatively large scale vertical borehole programs for both mine safety and commercial production in the Black Warrior Basin of Alabama the technique has been underutilized. The primary reason for this seems to be a combination of the current economic climate in the coal industry, legal questions as to the ownership of coalbed gas, and potential roof damage from the stimulation treatments required to increase the characteristically low permeability of coalbeds to enhance gas production. The question of potential roof damage is the subject of this paper.

• Research Organization: Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh, PA
• OSTI ID: 7148009
• Report Number(s): CONF-851054-
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
012000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Mining
03 NATURAL GAS
030900* -- Natural Gas-- Artificial Stimulation
Plowshare-- (-1989)
ALKANES
BOREHOLES
CAVITIES
COAL DEPOSITS
COAL INDUSTRY
COAL SEAMS
COMMINUTION
DAMAGE
DEGASSING
DRAINAGE
ECONOMICS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FEDERAL REGION III
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURING
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRY
LEGAL ASPECTS
METHANE
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PENNSYLVANIA
RECOVERY
RESOURCES
ROOFS
SAFETY
STIMULATION
UNDERGROUND MINING
US BUREAU OF MINES
US DOI
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS
WEST VIRGINIA