Resource development and utilization! 128 million cubic meters of coalbed methane extraction and utilization in Shanxi coal goaf area

At the end of last year, Shanxi Province listed for the first time in the country to sell three coalbed methane extraction test blocks in abandoned coal mines. On August 17 this year, the Shanxi Provincial Department of Natural Resources reported that up to now, more than 100 pumping wells have been constructed in the goaf area of abandoned mines in Shanxi Province, and 128 million cubic meters of coalbed methane have been extracted and utilized, which is equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 1.92 million tons.

Shanxi Province is an important energy base in China. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, our province has produced more than 20 billion tons of coal, providing sufficient coal energy for the country, but at the same time, it has also produced many goafs and abandoned mines. Due to the relative dispersion and low abundance of coalbed methane resources in coal goafs (abandoned mines), the incomplete historical geological data of some abandoned mines, and the staggered boundaries of many goafs with the existing coal mining rights, which makes the concentrated and contiguous development and sustainable and stable utilization face many uncertainties, resulting in the ineffective use of these resources.

So what is coalbed methane? Coalbed methane is an unconventional natural gas associated with coal, and it is also a strong greenhouse gas, and its greenhouse effect after escape is 21 times that of carbon dioxide. The development and utilization of coalbed methane in coal goafs can not only eliminate the potential safety hazards caused by gas accumulation in abandoned mine goafs, but also increase energy supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

It is an important task for Shanxi to carry out coalbed methane extraction tests in coal goafs (abandoned mines) and effectively develop and utilize coalbed methane resources in goafs (abandoned mines). According to the preliminary investigation, the area of coal goaf (abandoned mine) with development and utilization value in the province is about 2,052 square kilometers, and the estimated residual coalbed methane resources are about 72.6 billion cubic meters. In seven mining areas with high gas content, including Xishan, Yangquan, Wuxia, Lu'an, Jincheng, Huodong and Liliu, the goaf covers an area of about 870 square kilometers and the estimated coalbed methane resources are 30.3 billion cubic meters.

Disclaimer: The above content is reproduced from Jinfa Watch