Hydraulic fracturing for improved nutrient delivery in microbially-enhanced coalbed-methane (MECBM) production

Zhi, Sheng; Elsworth, Derek; Wang, Jiehao; Gan, Quan; Liu, Shimin

doi:10.1016/j.jngse.2018.10.012

Title: Hydraulic fracturing for improved nutrient delivery in microbially-enhanced coalbed-methane (MECBM) production

Journal Article · 23 October 2018 · Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2018.10.012 · OSTI ID:1631413

^[1]; Elsworth, Derek ^[2];

^[2]; Gan, Quan ^[3];

^[2]

Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States); Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)
Univ. of Aberdeen, Scotland (United Kingdom)

Microbially enhanced coalbed methane (MECBM) recovery is a novel method to increase gas production by injecting nutrients, either with/without microorganisms, in depleted CBM wells. However, to be effective, methanogens require that the nutrient must be delivered efficiently by aqueous solution to a maximally large reservoir volume for microbial colonization. This work seeks to improve understanding of solute transport and microbial gas generation in naturally fractured reservoirs that are both pristine and hydraulically fractured. We complete a field-scale numerical simulation using an equivalent multi-continuum method to define the effectiveness of nutrient delivery. The complex pre-existing fracture pattern in the coalbed is represented by an overprinted discrete fracture network (DFN) to capture the natural heterogeneity and anisotropy of fracture permeability. A simplified PKN model is adopted to simulate hydraulic fracture propagation based on linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM). The hydraulically stimulated case is compared to the untreated control case, both without and with a network of natural fractures. Saturated cleat area, cumulative injection volume and prediction of methane yields are systematically modeled and analyzed for all three cases. We show that hydraulically stimulated fracture pathways, especially when connecting with a natural fracture network, optimally deliver nutrient remotely from the injection well, thereby increasing nutrient delivery and improving methane production and potential recovery. However, large magnitudes of proppant embedment and related permeability loss in the hydraulic fractures may reduce MECBM recovery. In the optimal production scenario, the methane production rate may reach 31 ft³/ton, an approximately 5-fold increase over that from the pristine unstimulated case.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Cite

Export

Save

Research Organization:: Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)

Grant/Contract Number:: FE0026161

OSTI ID:: 1631413

Journal Information:: Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, Journal Name: Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering Journal Issue: C Vol. 60; ISSN 1875-5100

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (66)

An explicitly coupled hydro-geomechanical model for simulating hydraulic fracturing in arbitrary discrete fracture networks: FULLY COUPLED MODEL FOR HYDRO-FRACTURING IN ARBITRARY FRACTURE NETWORKS Fu, Pengcheng; Johnson, Scott M.; Carrigan, Charles R. International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, Vol. 37, Issue 14 https://doi.org/10.1002/nag.2135	journal	August 2012
Analysis of the Influence of a Natural Fracture Network on Hydraulic Fracture Propagation in Carbonate Formations Liu, Zhiyuan; Chen, Mian; Zhang, Guangqing Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, Vol. 47, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-013-0414-7	journal	April 2013
The Influence of Fracturing Fluids on Fracturing Processes: A Comparison Between Water, Oil and SC-CO2 Wang, Jiehao; Elsworth, Derek; Wu, Yu Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, Vol. 51, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-017-1326-8	journal	September 2017
The role of hydromechanical coupling in fractured rock engineering Rutqvist, Jonny; Stephansson, Ove Hydrogeology Journal, Vol. 11, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-002-0241-5	journal	January 2003
Experimental Measurements of Stress and Chemical Controls on the Evolution of Fracture Permeability McGuire, Thomas P.; Elsworth, Derek; Karcz, Zvi Transport in Porous Media, Vol. 98, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-013-0123-4	journal	February 2013
A continuum model for coupled stress and fluid flow in discrete fracture networks Gan, Quan; Elsworth, Derek Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources, Vol. 2, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-015-0020-0	journal	January 2016
The role of gas desorption on gas outbursts in underground mining of coal Zhi, Sheng; Elsworth, Derek Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources, Vol. 2, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-016-0026-2	journal	April 2016
The failure of brittle porous solids under compressive stress states Sammis, C. G.; Ashby, M. F. Acta Metallurgica, Vol. 34, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1016/0001-6160(86)90087-8	journal	March 1986
Numerical determination of the equivalent elastic compliance tensor for fractured rock masses using the distinct element method Min, Ki-Bok; Jing, Lanru International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, Vol. 40, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1016/S1365-1609(03)00038-8	journal	September 2003
Finding cost-effective nutrient solutions and evaluating environmental conditions for biogasifying bituminous coal to methane ex situ Zhang, Ji; Park, Stephen Y.; Liang, Yanna Applied Energy, Vol. 165 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.12.067	journal	March 2016
Optimization of methane production from bituminous coal through biogasification Zhang, Ji; Liang, Yanna; Harpalani, Satya Applied Energy, Vol. 183 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.08.153	journal	December 2016
Intense fracturing and fracture sealing induced by mineral growth in porous rocks Noiriel, Catherine; Renard, François; Doan, Mai-Linh Chemical Geology, Vol. 269, Issue 3-4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2009.09.018	journal	January 2010
Impact of commercial natural gas production on geochemistry and microbiology in a shale-gas reservoir Kirk, Matthew F.; Martini, Anna M.; Breecker, Daniel O. Chemical Geology, Vol. 332-333 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2012.08.032	journal	November 2012
Active methanogenesis and acetate utilization in Powder River Basin coals, United States Ulrich, Glenn; Bower, Shane International Journal of Coal Geology, Vol. 76, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2008.03.006	journal	October 2008
Characterization of a methanogenic consortium enriched from a coalbed methane well in the Powder River Basin, U.S.A. Green, Michael S.; Flanegan, Keith C.; Gilcrease, Patrick C. International Journal of Coal Geology, Vol. 76, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2008.05.001	journal	October 2008
Coalbed methane completions: A world view Palmer, Ian International Journal of Coal Geology, Vol. 82, Issue 3-4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2009.12.010	journal	June 2010
A dual poroelastic model for CO2-enhanced coalbed methane recovery Wu, Yu; Liu, Jishan; Chen, Zhongwei International Journal of Coal Geology, Vol. 86, Issue 2-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2011.01.004	journal	May 2011
Coalbed methane: A review Moore, Tim A. International Journal of Coal Geology, Vol. 101 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2012.05.011	journal	November 2012
Organic petrology, geochemistry, gas content and gas composition of Middle Pennsylvanian age coal beds in the Eastern Interior (Illinois) Basin: Implications for CBM development and carbon sequestration Mardon, Sarah M.; Eble, Cortland F.; Hower, James C. International Journal of Coal Geology, Vol. 127 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2014.02.002	journal	July 2014
Enhanced microbial coalbed methane generation: A review of research, commercial activity, and remaining challenges Ritter, Daniel; Vinson, David; Barnhart, Elliott International Journal of Coal Geology, Vol. 146 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2015.04.013	journal	July 2015
Characterizing microbial communities dedicated for conversion of coal to methane in situ and ex situ Zhang, Ji; Liang, Yanna; Pandey, Rohit International Journal of Coal Geology, Vol. 146 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2015.05.001	journal	July 2015
Evolution of coal permeability from stress-controlled to displacement-controlled swelling conditions Liu, Jishan; Chen, Zhongwei; Elsworth, Derek Fuel, Vol. 90, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2011.04.032	journal	October 2011
New gas material balance to quantify biogenic gas generation rates from shallow organic-matter-rich shales Cokar, M.; Ford, B.; Kallos, M. S. Fuel, Vol. 104 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2012.06.054	journal	February 2013
Stimulation of biogenic methane generation in coal samples following chemical treatment with potassium permanganate Huang, Zaixing; Urynowicz, Michael A.; Colberg, Patricia J. S. Fuel, Vol. 111 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2013.03.079	journal	September 2013
Biogenic methane production from coal: A review on recent research and development on microbially enhanced coalbed methane (MECBM) Park, Stephen Y.; Liang, Yanna Fuel, Vol. 166 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2015.10.121	journal	February 2016
A formation water-based nutrient recipe for potentially increasing methane release from coal in situ Bi, Zheting; Zhang, Ji; Park, Stephen Fuel, Vol. 209 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2017.08.008	journal	December 2017
Type and amount of organic amendments affect enhanced biogenic methane production from coal and microbial community structure Davis, Katherine J.; Lu, Shipeng; Barnhart, Elliott P. Fuel, Vol. 211 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2017.09.074	journal	January 2018
Modeling of microbial methane generation from coal and assessment of its impact on flow behavior Saurabh, Suman; Harpalani, Satya Fuel, Vol. 216 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2017.12.015	journal	March 2018
Role of overpressurized fluid and fluid-driven fractures in forming fracture networks Zhang, Xi; Jeffrey, Robert G. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, Vol. 144 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2014.03.021	journal	September 2014
Hydraulic properties of fractured rock masses with correlated fracture length and aperture Baghbanan, Alireza; Jing, Lanru International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, Vol. 44, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2006.11.001	journal	July 2007
Numerical simulation of thermal-hydrologic-mechanical-chemical processes in deformable, fractured porous media Taron, Joshua; Elsworth, Derek; Min, Ki-Bok International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, Vol. 46, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2009.01.008	journal	July 2009
Numerical simulations examining the relationship between wall-roughness and fluid flow in rock fractures Crandall, Dustin; Bromhal, Grant; Karpyn, Zuleima T. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, Vol. 47, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2010.03.015	journal	July 2010
Coupled mechanical and chemical processes in engineered geothermal reservoirs with dynamic permeability Taron, Joshua; Elsworth, Derek International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, Vol. 47, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2010.08.021	journal	December 2010
Permeability evolution during progressive deformation of intact coal and implications for instability in underground coal seams Wang, Shugang; Elsworth, Derek; Liu, Jishan International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, Vol. 58 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2012.09.005	journal	February 2013
Hydraulic fracturing with leakoff in a pressure-sensitive dual porosity medium Wang, Jiehao; Elsworth, Derek; Denison, Martin K. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, Vol. 107 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2018.04.042	journal	July 2018
Natural fractures initiation and fracture type prediction in coal reservoir under different in-situ stresses during hydraulic fracturing Huang, Saipeng; Liu, Dameng; Yao, Yanbin Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, Vol. 43 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2017.03.022	journal	July 2017
The effect of proppant embedment upon the long-term conductivity of fractures Wen, Qingzhi; Zhang, Shicheng; Wang, Lei Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, Vol. 55, Issue 3-4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2006.08.010	journal	February 2007
Experiment and modeling to evaluate the effects of proppant-pack diagenesis on fracture treatments Lee, Dae Sung; Elsworth, Derek; Yasuhara, Hideaki Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, Vol. 74, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2010.08.007	journal	October 2010
Permeability evolution of propped artificial fractures in coal on injection of CO2 Kumar, Hemant; Elsworth, Derek; Liu, Jishan Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, Vol. 133 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2015.07.008	journal	September 2015
Damage and fracture evolution of hydraulic fracturing in compression-shear rock cracks Liu, Taoying; Cao, Ping; Lin, Hang Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics, Vol. 74 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tafmec.2014.06.013	journal	December 2014
The distribution of stress in the neighbourhood of a flat elliptical crack in an elastic solid Green, A. E.; Sneddon, I. N. Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Vol. 46, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0305004100025585	journal	January 1950
Classifying Coal Pores and Estimating Reservoir Parameters by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry Zou, Mingjun; Wei, Chongtao; Zhang, Miao Energy & Fuels, Vol. 27, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1021/ef400421u	journal	June 2013
Scale-dependent desorption of uranium from contaminated subsurface sediments: SCALE-DEPENDENT DESORPTION OF URANIUM Liu, Chongxuan; Zachara, John M.; Qafoku, Nikolla P. Water Resources Research, Vol. 44, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1029/2007WR006478	journal	August 2008
The relationship of the degree of interconnection to permeability in fracture networks Long, Jane C. S.; Witherspoon, Paul A. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 90, Issue B4 https://doi.org/10.1029/JB090iB04p03087	journal	January 1985
An equivalent continuum model for coupled stress and fluid flow analysis in jointed rock masses Oda, Masanobu Water Resources Research, Vol. 22, Issue 13 https://doi.org/10.1029/WR022i013p01845	journal	December 1986
Porothermoelastic Analysis of the Response of a Stationary Crack Using the Displacement Discontinuity Method Ghassemi, A.; Zhang, Q. Journal of Engineering Mechanics, Vol. 132, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9399(2006)132:1(26)	journal	January 2006
General Theory of Three‐Dimensional Consolidation Biot, Maurice A. Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 12, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1712886	journal	February 1941
Analytical analysis of fracture conductivity for sparse distribution of proppant packs Guo, Jianchun; Wang, Jiandong; Liu, Yuxuan Journal of Geophysics and Engineering, Vol. 14, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-2140/aa6215	journal	April 2017
Experimental Investigation of Fully Plastic Contact of a Sphere Against a Hard Flat Jamari, J.; Schipper, D. J. Journal of Tribology, Vol. 128, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2164470	journal	December 2005
A Poroelastic PKN Hydraulic Fracture Model Based on an Explicit Moving Mesh Algorithm Detournay, E.; Cheng, A. H. -D.; McLennan, J. D. Journal of Energy Resources Technology, Vol. 112, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2905762	journal	December 1990
On the Crack Extension in Plates Under Plane Loading and Transverse Shear Erdogan, F.; Sih, G. C. Journal of Basic Engineering, Vol. 85, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3656897	journal	December 1963
Formation temperatures of thermogenic and biogenic methane Stolper, D. A.; Lawson, M.; Davis, C. L. Science, Vol. 344, Issue 6191 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1254509	journal	June 2014
Beyond known methanogens Lloyd, K. Science, Vol. 350, Issue 6259 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aad4066	journal	October 2015
Stimulation of Methane Generation from Nonproductive Coal by Addition of Nutrients or a Microbial Consortium Jones, E. J. P.; Voytek, M. A.; Corum, M. D. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Vol. 76, Issue 21 https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00728-10	journal	September 2010
Size Effect on the Permeability and Shear Induced flow Anisotropy of Fractal rock Fractures Huang, Na; Jiang, Yujing; Liu, Richeng Fractals, Vol. 26, Issue 02 https://doi.org/10.1142/S0218348X18400017	journal	April 2018
Fractal Characteristics of Crack Propagation in coal Under Impact Loading Zhao, Yixin; Gong, Shuang; Zhang, Chengguo Fractals, Vol. 26, Issue 02 https://doi.org/10.1142/S0218348X18400145	journal	April 2018
A Geometrical Aperture–Width Relationship for rock Fractures Ghanbarian, Behzad; Perfect, Edmund; Liu, Hui-Hai Fractals, Vol. 27, Issue 01 https://doi.org/10.1142/S0218348X19400024	journal	February 2019
Biogeochemistry of Microbial Coal-Bed Methane Strąpoć, Dariusz; Mastalerz, Maria; Dawson, Katherine Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Vol. 39, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-040610-133343	journal	May 2011
Significance of microbial activity in Australian coal bed methane reservoirs -- a review Faiz, M.; Hendry, P. Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, Vol. 54, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.2113/gscpgbull.54.3.261	journal	September 2006
New Mathematical Models for Calculating Proppant Embedment and Fracture Conductivity Li, Kewen; Gao, Yuanping; Lyu, Youchang SPE Journal, Vol. 20, Issue 03 https://doi.org/10.2118/155954-PA	journal	June 2015
A Rapid Method of Predicting Width and Extent of Hydraulically Induced Fractures Geertsma, J.; De Klerk, F. Journal of Petroleum Technology, Vol. 21, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.2118/2458-PA	journal	December 1969
Propagation of a Vertical Hydraulic Fracture Nordgren, R. P. Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal, Vol. 12, Issue 04 https://doi.org/10.2118/3009-PA	journal	August 1972
Fracture Width and Embedment Testing in Soft Reservoir Sandstone Lacy, L. L.; Rickards, A. R.; Bilden, D. M. SPE Drilling & Completion, Vol. 13, Issue 01 https://doi.org/10.2118/36421-PA	journal	March 1998
Fully Coupled Geomechanics and Fluid-Flow Analysis of Wells With Stress-Dependent Permeability Chin, L. Y.; Raghavan, Rajagopal; Thomas, L. K. SPE Journal, Vol. 5, Issue 01 https://doi.org/10.2118/58968-PA	journal	March 2000
Hydraulic properties of 3D crossed rock fractures by considering anisotropic aperture distributions Liu, Richeng; Jiang, Yujing; Huang, Na Advances in Geo-Energy Research, Vol. 2, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.26804/ager.2018.02.01	journal	March 2018
Evaluation of hydrodynamic dispersion parameters in fractured rocks Zhao, Zhihong; Jing, Lanru; Neretnieks, Ivars Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Vol. 2, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.1235.2010.00243	journal	September 2010

Cited By (2)

Influence of bioconversion on pore structure of bituminous coal Lu, Yiyu; Chai, Chengjuan; Zhou, Zhe Asia-Pacific Journal of Chemical Engineering, Vol. 15, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1002/apj.2399	journal	December 2019
Dependence of fluid flow on cleat aperture distribution and aperture–length scaling: a case study from Gondwana coal seams of Raniganj Formation, Eastern India Bandyopadhyay, Krishanu; Mallik, Jyotirmoy; Ghosh, Trishit International Journal of Coal Science & Technology, Vol. 7, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/s40789-019-00291-2	journal	December 2019

Similar Records

A Scaling Study of Microbially-Enhanced Methane Production From Coal (Mecbm): Optimizing Nutrient Delivery For Maximized Methane Production

Technical Report · 2018 · OSTI ID:1461074

Elsworth, Derek; Liu, Shimin; Zhi, Sheng; +7 more

A model for changes in coalbed permeability during primary and enhanced methane, recovery

Journal Article · 2005 · SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Reservoir Evaluation and Engineering · OSTI ID:20674297

Shi, J Q; Durucan, S

Discrete Fracture Network Models for Risk Assessment of Carbon Sequestration in Coal

Technical Report · 2008 · OSTI ID:941131

Pashin, Jack; Jin, Guohai; Zheng, Chunmiao; +2 more

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
coal gasification
coupled simulation
discrete fracture network
hydraulic fracturing
solute transport

Title: Hydraulic fracturing for improved nutrient delivery in microbially-enhanced coalbed-methane (MECBM) production

Citation Formats

References (66)

Cited By (2)

Similar Records

Related Subjects