LABORATORY, DRILLING AND COMPLETION TECHNIQUES USED IN COAL BED METHANE EXPLORATION AND EXPLOITATION

By: Steven A. Tedesco Atoka Coal Labs 14450 East Easter Ave., Ste 1000 Centennial, CO 80112

Presented at the PTTC Technology Conference on the Coalbed Methane Resources In The Southeast

Goals of a Pilot Project in CBM Exploration

Evaluate the Resource Thickness of Coal Gas Content Permeability Water Production Rates Optimal Drilling Methods Optimal Completion Methods

Phases in Coal Bed Methane Exploitation and Evaluation

Resource Definition Resource Assessment Pilot Phase Development Phase Production Phase

Resource Definition
Existing data sets Where is the coal How deep Estimated coal thickness Any Production or SFC Per Ton Data Drilling Problems Completion Problems Water Disposal Problems

Resource Definition

Determining Coal Thickness Best Type of Data

Old Density Logs Any coal mining exploration data Any existing coal bed methane projects Recent density-neutron logs

Logs
Old Log New Log

Logs
Powder River San Juan

Determining Coal Thickness Types of Data Not Reliable

Electric logs Sample logs Gamma Ray logs Sonic logs All above can be used to a limited

extent if tied to other wells with density logs

Resource Assessment
Determine how many test wells Test wells - strat tests Test wells part of pilot Objective of test wells Data to be collected

Single or Multiple Test Wells

Test Well determine depth and thickness of
coal seams present Test Well determine the projected quantity of gas in the coal, depth and thickness of coal seams present Test Well - determine the, permeability, projected quantity of gas in the coal, depth and thickness of coal seams present One or more across the project

Drilling Methods
Air Drilling
Less Damage? Real time DST Completion Problems? Mud Drilling May Cause Damage to Coal Cleats Hole Stability Greater?

Types of Coring
Conventional Coring Continuous Coring Sidewall Coring Drill Samples

Gas Detection Methods

Mudlogging Desorption
Lost Gas Desorbed Gas Residual Gas Adsorption

Lost Gas
Define gas lost while coring Method of coring important Lost calculation related to

permeability of coal - unknown

Desorbed Gas
Coal placed in sealed container Gas drained off over time Determine desorption curve

related to permeability of coal Length of time varies with every coal one month to one year Quick gas Gas Composition

Desorbed Gas

Desorbed Gas

Coal Analysis
Proximate Ultimate

Estimation of SCF Per Ton

Lost Gas Desorbed Gas Proximate Analysis Adsorption

Adsorption
Purpose to determine how much gas
can actually be adsorbed on coal Gas composition important Helps determine point of gas production during the dewatering phase Results create Langmuir curve Optimistic

Langmuir Curve

Permeability Testing
Injection fall-off procedures Below frac gradient Gives permeability to water for

zone of investigation Potential distance from well bore Helps define completion methods Potentially predict production rates

Permeability Testing
100

Dimensionless pressure

10

Pressure Change
1

0.1

Pressure Derivative

0.01

Permeability = 1.085 mD Skin Factor = -1.05 Radius of Investigation = 93 ft (28.3 m) 0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10

0.001 1E-005

Dimensionless time

Permeability Testing

Permeability Testing

Permeability Testing

Additional Science
Clay Mineralogy Maceral Composition Vitrinite Reflectance Additional Log Types Dual
Induction, Sonic, Microlog

Pilot Project Objectives

Determine water production
rates Water chemistry Potential gas rate Optimal Well Spacing

Pilot Projects - Types

Single Well Two to Four wells Five wells Multiple wells Drilling Method Completion Methods

Pilot Projects - Types

Level of Development Within a Basin
Frontier Development Mature
Program Configuration Scattered Single Test Wells Core and Perm Data Five Well Pilot Core and Perm Data Five Well Pilot No Core and Perm Data Single or Dual Well Pilot Core and Perm Data Single or Dual Well Pilot No Core and Perm Data

Pros

Mod expensively, defines reservoir characteristic Single data points may mislead where the best areas are.

Relatively inexpensive, defines reservoir characteristics Single data points may mislead where the best areas are.

Moderately expensive yet provides a quick answer Single data points may mislead where the best or worst areas are.

Inexpensive and provides a quick answer

Inexpensive

Cons

Single data points may mislead where the best areas are.

Single data points may not provide any reservoir data.

Completion Types
Open Hole Cased Hole Natural Under-ream Frac Water Frac Water and Sand Frac with Cross-Linked Gel and Sand

Completion Types

Completion Types

Completion Types

Water Disposal
Water Chemistry Gas Composition Production volumes Disposal on surface
Environmental Compliance Affect other groundwater sources Disposal underground Depth to disposal zone Rate of injection

Pilot Project Assessment

Water production Rates Gas Rates Optimal Drilling Methods Optimal Completion Methods Optimal Well Spacing

Resource Definition

The End