Abstract
The Miocene Soma Coal Basin may be one of the most promising areas for low-rank coalbed methane in Turkey. So far, the coalbed methane potential of the coal seams in the Kınık Coalfield, Soma Basin has not been adequately studied. A systematic investigation was performed on the gas content distribution of the kP1 and kM2 coal seams and its geological controls, which has been based on the geological data and the experimental results of 84 coal samples taken from 37 coal exploration wells in the Kınık coalfield, Soma Basin. Samples were analyzed in terms of coal properties and gas content. The gas content was measured by the direct method based on the canister desorption test. The gas content of the kP1 and kM2 coal seams range from 0.90 to 2.61 m3/t and 0.51 to 3.86 m3/t respectively, on as-received basis, with increasing trend from west to east areas in both seams. Diffusivity values of the kP1 and kM2 coal seams vary from 2.84 × 10−5 min−1 to 56.4 × 10−5 min−1, and from 0.64 × 10−5 min−1 to 54.3 × 10−5 min−1, respectively. The gas content of the kP1 seam has not been correlated with the coal properties, whereas the gas content of the kM2 seam has positive correlation with fixed carbon content and gross calorific value, and negative correlation with moisture and ash content. Normal faults are well developed in the study area play an important role at gas migration, causing gas dissipation and reduced gas content of each coal seam. In the northern part, the low gas content may result from the combined effects of the geological structure, thickness of overlying unit, burial depth and coal thickness. In the southern part, the gas content of coal seams is controlled by the combined effects of relatively favorable factors including fewer normal faults, thicker overlying unit, high burial depth and thick coal seam. The variation of the gas content for the coal seams is a comprehensive reflection of geological factors with each coal seam has its own pattern of gas distribution and this should be considered for the future coalbed methane exploration and development studies in Soma Basin.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 103602 |
| Journal | International Journal of Coal Geology |
| Volume | 231 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Nov 2020 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2020 Elsevier B.V.
Funding
This paper is a part of the first author’s PhD study and was supported by the Polyak-Eynez Mining Corporation. We are grateful to Polyak-Eynez Mining Corporation for the permission and help extended during the field studies. The authors would like to thank; Oytun Kutay as administrative chief; geological engineers Feridun Emre Yağımlı and Ali Türkoğlu, and mining engineer Ferhat Büyükbaş for their support during coring, sampling and geological data. The first author would also like to thank the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) for supporting the part of his research within the scope of 2214-A International Research Fellowship Program. Finally, we are grateful to Dr. Tim A. Moore and Professor Najdat I. Aziz, whose fruitful support greatly improved the manuscript. Authors express their sincere gratitude to Dr. C. Özgen Karacan, Editor-in-Chief and the three anonymous reviewers for their critical reviewing and constructive suggestions on the manuscript.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| Polyak-Eynez Mining Corporation | |
| TÜBİTAK | |
| Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştirma Kurumu |
Keywords
- Gas content
- Geological controls
- Kınık coalfield
- Low-rank coal
- Soma Basin
