CO2-ECBM: A Review of its Status and Global Potential

• Published in: Energy procedia Vol. 63; pp. 5858 - 5869
• Main Authors: Godec, Michael, Koperna, George, Gale, John
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 2014
• Subjects: CO2 storage; coal seams; ECBM; enhanced coalbed methane; storage capacity; coal seams; CO2 storage; storage capacity; ECBM; enhanced coalbed methane
• ISSN: 1876-6102; 1876-6102
• DOI: 10.1016/j.egypro.2014.11.619

In 1998, the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme (IEAGHG) assessed the global potential for CO2 enhanced coal bed methane (CO2-ECBM) recovery and associated CO2 storage based on data from the one successful pilot project at the time in the San Juan Basin in the USA. After 1998, subsequent CO2 injection projects in coal seams were generally determined not to be successful. Nonetheless, these projects contributed to “lessons learned” that helped advise further research and demonstration (R&D) activities. IEAGHG recently reassessed the status of R&D in CO2-ECBM and CO2 storage. In this assessment, the primary objectives were to: (1) assess the global status of coalbed methane (CBM) production and the potential effects on CO2 storage; (2) review the current status of research into the enhanced gas recovery (EGR) and geological storage of CO2 in coals; and (3) develop an updated assessment of the global potential for EGR and geological storage of CO2 in coal formations. The paper summarizes the results of this work, along with other related activities. It reviews the results from more recent CO2- ECBM and CO2 storage trials in the San Juan Basin in the USA, the results of other small-scale demonstration projects conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships (RCSP) Program, and reviews the status of an ongoing DOE-funded project conducted by CONSOL and Virginia Tech University in the USA, as well as for the Coal-Seq Consortium. The IEAGHG study concluded that the technical recovery potential for methane from the world's coal seams is estimated to be 79 trillion cubic meters (Tcm) globally, 29Tcm associated with conventional CBM recovery, and 50Tcm from the application of CO2- ECBM recovery as a secondary production technique. This could facilitate the potential storage of nearly 488 billion metric tons (or gigatonnes (Gt)) of CO2 in unmineable coal seams.