The gas content and
permeability of the coal reservoir are the
key factors affecting coalbed methane (CBM) productivity. To investigate
the geological controls on the permeability and gas content of coal
reservoirs in the Daning block, southern Qinshui Basin, geological
surveys combined with laboratory experiments, including coal petrology
analysis, proximate analysis, and methane isothermal adsorption experiments,
were carried out. The results show that the gas content of coals in
the Daning block ranges from 5.56 to 17.57 (avg. 12.83) m
3
/t, and the coal permeability is generally above 0.1 mD, averaging
0.96 mD. The gas content of coal reservoirs shows decreasing trends
with the increase in ash yield and moisture content, while tends to
increase with the increase of vitrinite content; however, the correlation
coefficients are all extremely low. The gas content presents a strong
positive correlation with the burial depth of coal seams, but overall
poorly correlates with the coal thickness. The CBM-rich areas are
generally located at the hinge zones of secondary synclines, while
the lower gas content areas commonly occur at the hinge zones of secondary
anticlines. The normal faults are developed in the Daning block, and
as expected, the gas content of coal seams that are near the normal
faults is commonly lower. It was found that the well testing permeability
of coal reservoirs in the Daning block decreases exponentially with
the increase of the minimum horizontal stress (σ
h
) and the maximum horizontal principal stress (σ
H
). With the increase of the burial depth, the coal permeability also
decreases exponentially. The primary and cataclastic structure coals
generally have a higher hydro-fracturing permeability than the granulitic
and mylonitic structure coals. This work can serve as a guide for
the target area selections of CBM enrichment and high production in
the Daning block.