Measuring Gas Contents and

Determining Gas In-Place

Dr Tim Moore

Outline of Talk

1. Absorption Isotherm (holding capacity)

2. Desorption Isotherm (actual gas present)
3. % Gas Saturation
4. Gas Composition
5. Gas in-place

Holding Capacity (Adsorption Isotherm) Lab Measurement

Measured Gas Content (Desorption)

Small Rig

Medium size rigs

Units

Pressure psi, kPa, MPa (gauge/absolute)

Volume m3, ft3, litres, MCF BCF, Barrel
MCF,
Temperature oC or oF
Flow m3/hr l/s, MCFD, MMCFD, BPD
/hr,
Energy GJ, PJ
Gas content m3/t
Density - g/cc t/m3
g/cc,

Metric System Prefixes

Multiplier
Prefix

Symbol

Numerical

Exponential

yotta
zetta

Y
Z

1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

1024
1021
1018

exa

1,000,000,000,000,000,000

peta

1,000,000,000,000,000

1015

tera
giga

T
G

1,000,000,000,000
1,000,000,000

1012
109

mega

1,000,000

106

kilo

1,000

103

hecto
deca

h
da

100
10

102
101

no prefix means: 1

100

deci

0.1

10 1

centi
milli

c
m

0.01
0.001

micro

0.000001

nano

0.000000001

pico
femto

p
f

0.000000000001
0.000000000000001

atto

0.000000000000000001

10
1,000 10 ft
cu
10
1,000 cu ft/day
10
1,000,000 cu ft
10
10
1,000,000,000 cu ft
3
6
9

12
15

10 18

zepto

0.000000000000000000001

10 21

yocto

0.000000000000000000000001

10 24

MCF
MCFD
MMCF
BCF

A Few Conversions
1 m3 = 35.3147 cu ft
1000 m3/hr = 847.56 MCFD = 277.78 l/s
1 bbl (barrel) = 0.159 m3
500 bbl = 79.5 m3
1 MCF = 1.0704 GJ
1 MMCF = 1.0704 TJ
1 BCF = 1.0704 PJ
Volumes at 14.65 psia and 60oF or
101.325 kpaa and 15oC

Coal as a Gas Reservoir

Under enough pressure gas is chemically
sorbed into the coal does not exist as a gas
at all.
On release of pressure, gas starts to desorb
from the coal matrix, but it takes time. BIG
time delay between reduction in pressure on
the coal and the gas in the coal being in
equilibrium at that pressure.

Gas Content
The volume of gas in a given mass of coal
The gas resides only in the carbonaceous
material.
Units m3/t
Equally important to characterise the material
as well as to know the gas volume.
Eg 6 m3/t gas content in coal of density 1.35 g/cc compared to 6
m3/t in material of density 1.60 g/cc

Gas Content Testing

AS 3980-1999
Methods
Direct
Fast
Slow

Indirect

Q1, Q2, Q3

Gas Content Basics

Measured gas content (Qm = Q1+Q2+Q3)

Gas composition
Desorption rate
Magnitude mainly affected by

Sampling and test method

Geology/geological history
Depth
Mineral matter

Terminology
Lost Gas (Q1)
Desorbable Gas (Q2)
Residual Gas (Q3)
{Desorbable Gas Content (Q1+Q2)}
Measured Gas Content Qm
(Q1+Q2+Q3)
calc to 20oC and 101.3 kPa

GeoGAS Method

Approved by the Mines Inspectorate

for mine safety application in 1993
Robust equipment, maintenance,
validation and error checking.
Method research
Fast Q3 crushing 7 minutes

Q3 ring mill

USGS Method slow to moderate desorption

httttgne
h gne
httttgnellllllll
h gne
h gne
h gne
h gne
h gne
42 otttt erroC gn ttttttttuC
42 o eroC gn uC
42 otttt erroC gniiiiiiiittttttttuC
42 o eroC gn uC
42 o eroC gn uC
42 o e oC gn uC
42 o eroC gn uC
42 o e oC gn uC

ssenkciht
llaw x
4 x 72
epiP CVP

gnilpuoC
4
daerht 8/3
rof depat
dna dellird
paC 4

USGS Method slow to moderate desorption

retttts nac ottttn seog aoC

re s nac o n seog aoC
rettttsiiiiiiiinac ottttniiiiiiii seog llllllllaoC
re s nac o n seog aoC
re s nac o n seog aoC
re s nac o n seog aoC
re s nac o n seog aoC
re s nac o n seog aoC
USGS Method slow to moderate desorption

USGS Method slow to moderate desorption

srrottallucrriiC//srrettaeH
s o a uc C s e aeH

O2H fo lag 001 03

03
yletamixorppA nii
n
hc
hc
id
id
ma
ma
te
te
re
re
llat sehcni 63
Desorption
Rate

Desorption Rate During Coal Crushing

10

Gas content (m3/t)

Comparison of Seam Desorption Rates With Bulli Seam

From Intact Bore Core
16
Bulli y =1/(1+2.00*x)*-12.983+16.036

Total Desorbable Gas Content (m3/t)

14

y = 0.0104x
R2 = 0.9679

4
y = 0.0074x
R2 = 0.98

2
12
0

10

200

400

600

GeoGAS DRI
South Coast CH4 Coal

GM y=1/(1+0.85*x )*-15.188+16.386

4
Tes t Seam

Desorption time
constant (tau) in
days

IDR30

DRI

NSW South Coas t CH4 Coal

0
0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5
IDR30 (m3/t)

2.0

2.5

Des orptionRates .xls

800
DesorptionRates .x ls
Test

1000

Determining Gas Content for the Full Seam

Meas ured Gas
GeoGAS Sample
Numbe r

Se am

De pth
from

Depth to

at
S ampl e
Ash

a t 15 %
Ash

De sorpti on Ra te @
Ge oGAS
DRI

Ash/Density

IDR30
3
(m /t)

Sa mple
ARD
(g/c c)

RD or
Cal c RD
(g/c c)

CO2 % N2%
Air
Air Free
Free

GR02 1/8

GM

4 17.2 4

41 7.69

9. 48

GRO0 138

GR0 21/9

GM

417 .69

418 .42

12. 83

12 .52

1 668

1.87

1.3 1

1.4 3

1 3.3

0 .99

93.7 3

1.4 1

4. 86

GRO0 139

GR0 21/1 0

GM

418 .42

419 .19

13. 26

12 .36

1 740

1.84

1.3 2

1.3 7

9 .9

0 .99

95.2 9

1.1 6

3. 55

GRO0 140

GR0 21/1 1

GM

419 .19

419 .94

11. 89

11 .56

1 626

1.36

1.3 5

1.4 2

1 3.0

0 .98

94.0 5

1.5 8

4. 37

GR021 /12

GM

4 19.9 4

42 0.78

12 .03

1 594

1 5.7

897

4 6.0

4 20.7 8

42 1.14

6. 77

GR021 /13a

GR021 /13
GM

4 21.1 4

42 1.31

GM

4 21.3 1

42 2.55

10 .66

3 0.4

0. 00

GR021 /14

1 256

Gas Composi tion

Sample
CH 4/(CH4+ CH 4%
Ash (%
CO2)
Air Free
adb)

8 5.0

1 412

Measured Gas Content at 15% Ash (m3/t)

Example Gas Content Gradients

Depth (m)

2 3.6

Gas Content Gradients Sydney/Bowen Basins

16

Central/Northern Bowen Basin

Newcastle/Hunter Valley

Measur ed Gas Content (Qm m3/t)

14

12

10

0
0

100

200

300
Depth (m)

400

500

600

AllGasContent.xls

Gas Quality
Australian coals commonly contain a lot of CO2. Pipe line spec
gas requires the total of CO2 + N2 (or inerts) to be < 4%.
The gas content test itself generates N2 as a result of coal
oxidation.
GeoGAS test samples gases during Q2 and Q3 with an
additional sample under helium flush conditions for Q3.
Basic components (CH4,
CO2, N2, O2) analysed
using Varian 3400 gas
chromatographs.

Helium Flushing
7
N2 Air Free Normal Test
6

N2 Air free Helium Flus hed

Q3 (m3/t)

0
0

10

20

30

40
N2%

50

60

70

ResultsHeliumFlus h.xls

Gas In Place
GRS m3/m2 = Qm m3/t * RD (t/m3) * Thickness

Eg 8.6 m3/t * 1.34 g/cc * 4.3 m = 49.5 m3/m2

Not hard to find

a lot of gas.
Much harder to
recover it.

Gas in-place uncertainty Calculation

Area
Coal Seam Thickness

Best Case
Base Case

Maximum Holding Capacity

% Saturation

Gas in-place uncertainty Calculation

Worse Case

Gas in-place uncertainty Calculation

Gas in-place uncertainty Calculation

Gas Reservoir Section

To cover
Gases and Units
Coal as a gas reservoir
Gas in place
Gas content, quality and seam thickness

Gas reserves/deliverability
Gas saturation
Permeability

Application Pressure drawdown to maximise

deliverability

Gas Saturation What is it?

It is the quantity of gas in the coal expressed as a
percentage of the quantity of gas it can contain at the
particular reservoir pressure and reservoir
temperature.
It is as important as permeability to get right! Modelled
results can be 100% wrong.
An assessment needs

Gas sorption isotherms

Reservoir pressure and temperature
Gas content at absolute zero pressure
Coal properties (ash, RD)
Validation

The Gas Adsorption Isotherm

Lab testing defines relationship between pressure

and quantity of gas adsorbed for a particular coal
gas type and temperature.

20
Meas ured Ads orbed Gas (A bsolut e P ress ure)

Adsorption Equation

Calculat ed Isot herm

Gas Adsorbed (m / t)

15

a
P

P
+ b

where
V - Gas content (m3 /t)
P - Pressure (kPa)
a - Langmuir Volume (m3/t)
b - Langmuir Pressure (kPa)

10

0
0

1000

2000
3000
Absol ute P ressure (kPa)

4000

5000

Isotherm is affected by
Reservoir (test) temperature
Sample ash or mineral matter
Sample moisture
Gas type
Coal rank

Isotherm s

27

N2

24

Gas Adsorbed (m3/t)

CO2

21

CH4

18
15
12

9
6
3
0
0

1000

2000

3000

4000

Pressure (kPa)

Gas saturation and desorption pressure

18.0
Original reservoir pressure

16.0

Gas content

Gas desorbed (m3/t)

14.0
Gas desorption pressure
12.0
10.0
8.0

6.0

Reducing pressure

4.0

Gas saturation = A / B %

2.0
0.0
0

200

400

600

800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400 2600
Absolute pressure (kPa)
Quality.xls{DesPCalc}

5000

Saturation Variability in a Single Seam

From Mares, Moore & Moore, in press

How many adsorption isotherms are needed?

From Mares, Moore & Moore, in press

Uncertainty in Saturation

From Mares, Moore & Moore, in press

To define desorption pressure and gas

saturation, it is not as simple as plotting the
gas content test result onto the isotherm.
Everything needs to be brought to the same
basis.

1. Defining the Isotherm

Apply to a real example
The lab has tested coal with an ash of 11.2%,
at a test temperature of 33oC (happens to be
GM seam sample GRO0065 from DDG077 at
171 m depth).
The Langmuir Volume is 26.01 m3/t reported
at 20oC and 0 kPaa. The Langmuir Pressure
is 2076 kPaa.
This is what it looks like..

Sample isotherm, Tested 33oC, 11.2%Ash

20

0
50
100
200
300
400
600
800
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000

Gas
Adsorbed
(m3/t)
0.0
0.6
1.2
2.3
3.3
4.2
5.8
7.2
8.5
10.9
12.8
14.2
15.4
16.3
17.1
17.8
18.4

18
Gas Adsorbed (m3/t)

Pressure
(kPaa)

16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0

1000

2000

3000

Absolute Pressure (kPa)

4000

5000

ExampleIsotherm.xls

But, we want to apply this to another borehole at a depth of 330 m,

Average seam Measured Gas Content Qm of 10 m3/t and ash of 17%.

Temperature Gradient
Need to calculate reservoir temperature at 330 m
depth.
Temperature gradient is defined by
T = 0.0541 * Depth (m) + 23.769
So at 330 m, temperature is 42oC
The ability of coal to hold gas reduces with increasing temperature
Based on lab tests, we arrive at a change in LV of 1.8 m3/t/10oC at 5000kPaa

(Practical Result: Before and After Desorption)

Methane Adsorption Isotherms daf for Kupakupa Seam
7.0

1 m3 = ~35 scf
6.0

Gas V olume (cc/g)

5.0
Black line =
adsorption sample
collected in the
field

4.0

3.0

SAMPLES MUST BE COLLECTED

AND ANALYZED FRESH!!!!

2.0

Red line =
collected post
desorption

Else OVER Estimation of GIP and/or

UNDER estimation of saturation

1.0

0.0
0

6
Pressure (MPa)

from Crosdale, Moore & Mares, in press

10

12

Questions?