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Evolution of Anisotropic Coal Permeability Under the Effect of Heterogeneous Deformation of Fractures

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Abstract

Permeability is one of the key parameters to better understand the processes of coalbed methane mining and carbon dioxide geological storage. As a unique porous medium, coal usually possesses distinct deformation characteristics. In this work, we used a cubic model to characterize the physical structure of coal. The fracture system in coal contained both soft and hard parts subject to the natural-strain-based Hooke law and engineering-strain-based Hooke law, respectively. By analyzing the changes in the soft and hard parts of fractures, we explored heterogeneous deformation in coal. However, coal usually exhibits strong anisotropy under reservoir conditions, and the permeability in each direction is different. First, based on the generalized Hooke law, we characterized fracture deformation in coal along all directions under stress. Moreover, based on the definition of the coal porosity, we proposed an anisotropic coal permeability model under heterogeneous fracture deformation, and the model was verified against experimental data reported in the literature. Second, based on our proposed model, we examined the influence of the soft/hard parts of fractures on permeability, and the contribution of gas adsorption to the coal permeability was also analyzed. When the confining pressure remained constant, a higher proportion of the soft parts of fractures corresponded to a larger permeability change, and a higher internal expansion factor corresponded to a lower permeability. In addition, we assessed the influence of slippage on the permeability in the effective stress change process and incorporated the slippage effect into the permeability model.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants Nos. 52064007, 51804085, and 51911530203) and Guizhou Provincial Science and Technology Foundation (Qianke Combination Foundation-ZK[2021]Key 052).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Sciences and Geothermal Energy Exploitation and Utilization, Institute of Deep Earth Sciences and Green Energy, College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China

    Jianhua Li

  2. Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Deep Underground Engineering Sciences and Green Energy, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China

    Jianhua Li

  3. College of Mining, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China

    Jianhua Li, Bobo Li, Qiaoyun Cheng & Zheng Gao

  4. Guizhou Key Laboratory of Comprehensive Utilization of Non-metallic Mineral Resources, Guiyang, 550025, China

    Bobo Li

  5. National and Local Joint Laboratory of Engineering for Effective Utilization of Regional Mineral Resources from Karst Areas, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China

    Bobo Li

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  1. Jianhua Li
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  2. Bobo Li
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  3. Qiaoyun Cheng
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  4. Zheng Gao
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Correspondence to Bobo Li.

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Li, J., Li, B., Cheng, Q. et al. Evolution of Anisotropic Coal Permeability Under the Effect of Heterogeneous Deformation of Fractures. Nat Resour Res 30, 3623–3642 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11053-021-09889-3

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