Numerical Simulation of Nitrogen (N2) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Injection into Coal Bed Methane Reservoirs for Enhanced Gas Production: An Investigation Towards Cleaner Energy
摘要
Global warming and rising greenhouse gas emissions pose a critical global challenge. Despite strides in renewable energy, flue gas emissions persistently rise, with the oil and gas industry significantly contributing to this environmental issue. Recognizing the urgency, geological sequestration of flue gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N2), emerges as a vital solution, utilizing depleted oil reservoirs, shale reservoirs, aquifers, and coal bed methane (CBM) as storage sites. CBM offers a cleaner alternative to traditional coal mining, enabling the extraction of previously inaccessible deep coal seams. Enhanced coal bed methane (ECBM) is explored as a means to produce clean energy while sequestering flue gases. This study investigates ECBM potential through the injection of varied CO2 and N2 concentrations into a reservoir using a commercial numerical reservoir simulator. The results indicate increased methane production in CBM reservoirs with flue gas injection. Both gases enhance reservoir production, with higher CO2 concentrations yielding higher total gas recovery and higher sequestration volumes. It was also observed that the best-performing case achieved a cumulative 17.2 Bcf CO2 injection and effectively sequestered 14.2 Bcf of CO2 in the reservoir. This research highlights the viability of ECBM as a cleaner energy solution with significant environmental benefits.