Preliminary results from an in-situ coal gasification experiment using explosive fracturing. [12 refs]

Conference · Wed Jan 19 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:7219379

Thorsness, C; Hill, R; Stephens, D

The approach to in-situ coal gasification originated at LLL utilizes an array of chemical explosives to enhance the permeability of a reaction zone within a thick bed of coal. Results from the first field test of this concept, the Packed Bed Process, are described. Experiment No. 1 was a simple two-spot fracturing experiment that was carried out at Hoe Creek, Wyoming. It consisted of two explosive charges fired simultaneously at the bottom of a coal seam. Pre and post fracture characterization of the site shows that the coal permeability was stimulated from 0.3 darcy preshot to about 2-4 darcies postshot. Examination of cores taken after the blast showed moderate to heavy fracturing in the upper few feet of the coal bed, then a lesser fractured zone in the middle, and a highly pulverized zone at the bottom 5-10 ft of the coal bed. Correspondence of the degree of fracturing with code calculations is building confidence in our ability to calculate the extent of fracturing. However, a review of flow behavior has led to the conclusion that permeability is not a simple function of the degree of fracturing. On October 15, 1976 the coal was ignited and gasification proceeded for 11 days. During this time, 130 tons of coal was gasified out of an estimated 1000 tons of coal within the fractured region. Heating quality of the gas averaged 110-150 Btu/scf.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Livermore (USA). Lawrence Livermore Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 7219379
• Report Number(s): UCRL-78950; CONF-770510-11
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010404* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES
COAL
COAL DEPOSITS
COAL GASIFICATION
COMMINUTION
DIMENSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPLOSIVE FRACTURING
EXPLOSIVES
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURING
FUELS
GASIFICATION
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
IGNITION
IN-SITU GASIFICATION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
PERMEABILITY
PROCESSING
RESOURCES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
THICKNESS