Numerical study on the evolution of reservoir pressure and CBM concentration considering hydraulic fractures

Abstract

Based on the theories of mass conservation and coalbed methane (CBM) adsorption/desorption, a novel reservoir pressure model for CBM production is derived first. Followed by which, the CBM concentration and production models are also proposed. Then, these models are programmed and solved by means of the finite element method. Taking the Hunchun CBM field in Jilin province, China as an example, the reservoir pressure, gas concentration and production characteristics under different hydraulic fracture forms are simulated and investigated. The reservoir pressure decreases very rapidly in a small region near the fracture tip, which we called the “reservoir pressure singularity”. The existence of a hydraulic fracture greatly reduces the reservoir pressure in the process of CBM exploitation. The permeability sensitivity coefficient of reservoir pressure Rpk is defined to quantitatively describe the influence of coal seam permeability on the evolution of reservoir pressure. Rpk decreases logarithmically as the distance from CBM extraction well increases. The reservoir pressure and CBM recovery rate characteristics in the presence of multiple hydraulic fractures are also investigated. We believe these results could contribute to the design of hydraulic fracturing wells and the evaluation of gas production in a CBM reservoir.