ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK CBM Development

ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
CBM Development & Utilization Demonstration Project in Yangquan Coal Group Co., Ltd

He Suli Deputy General Manager
Coalbed Methane Development Co. of Yangquau Coo1 Group

Under the arrangement of former Ministry of Coal industry and State Administration of Coal lndustry, with the association of China Coalbed Methane Clearinghouse of China Coal information institute, Mr Edu H·Hassing, senior officer of Asian Development Bank, based upon the T.A.NO.2662-PRC report“Chinese CBM Development Survey”, submitted by B1itish Geology Survey(BGS) and centre of Gas Technology of Netherlands(GASTEC), etc., decided the TA PRC 3081-CONTRACT No. COCS/99-151 ADB project. Preparing a Coalbed Methane Demonstration Project, People’s Republic of China. The project is mainly executed by ICF Consulting of USA and, in associated with Advanced Resources International (ARI) of USA, Energy Development Limited (EDL) of Australia, China Coalbed Methane Clearinghouse, Xi’an Branch of the China Coal Research Institute. To submit a feasibility report on the fully utilization of exist production mines drained from underground mines. The Pre-feasibility report on the Shouyang area coalbed methane development.

Experts from ICF etc., worked from April 1999, till November 1999 to collect necessary date and files, include the coal seam geological condition and coalbed methane reservoir characteristics from production mines and Shouyang area planned mines, the original data of drained and utilized methane from production mines. ln June and July 2000, the experts from Chongqing Branch of the China Coal Research lnstitute is assigned by ICF Consulting to check measuring the methane drained from exist production mines of Yangquan Coal Group with exist measurement instrument. The experts in now working on the final report of ADB TA PRC 3081-CONTRCT No. COCS/99-151 Project. The feasibility report will fully evaluate the coalbed methane in-situ resources, the methane quantity of might be utilized, proposed optimized project, the environment impact and economic analysis of the project in Yangquan Coal Group.

Yangquan Coal Group is reformulated from Yangquan Coal Mining Administration, which is founded in 1950. It is the largest anthracite production base with production capacity of 16 millon ton, which is one of the state affirmed super large industry enterprises. Meanwhile, it is the largest coal mine methane emitted mining district. The mining district covers an area of 1105 km2. Based upon the file Meiguizi[1996]449 of Ministry of Coal lndustry, on the approval of coalbed methane resources exploration, evaluation and development of the Yangquan Coal Mining Administration, the coalbed methane resources margin is along the mining field outcrop to the burying depth of 1500m, covers the area of 2668 km2 with coalbed methane resources of about 644.8m3. The coal bearing strata is within the Taiyuna group of Carboniferous Period and Shanxi group of Permian period, with 16 coal seams and total coalbearing strata thickness of 200m,These are all high methane emission coal seams. The highest methane content in the production mine is 21.77 m3/t. with average of 17.2m3/t, the reservoir pressure is 0.2-2.0 MPa respectively. The production mines emitted 405 million m3 methane per annum. Among which, 119 million m3 is drained from the mine methane drainage system. Which takes one sixth of national mine methane drainage quantity, and stay at NO.1 Position recent years.

The methane drainage from underground mine is started in 1957 in Yangquan Coal Group. Mainly adopted the cross-measure borehole, upper roof gallery, surface borehole and the gob methane drainage method. There is about 1/4 methane drained with mine methane drainage system among the mine emitted methane. The annual drained methane is over 100 million m3. And total drained methane is accumulated 2.55 billion m3. There is a complete methane drainage system in all mines with now installed equipment 30 sets, installed capacity of 4732 kw, underground drainage pipeline 120 km.

The mine methane is started to utilize in 1958s, there set up the Yangquan city gas system with gas sources of the Group mine methane. The storage capacity is 210,000 m3, with low and medium pressure pipeline 160 km, to supp1y 84,000 houses. ln the mining district, the storage capacity is 110,000 m3, installed compressing pumps 22 sets, installed capacity 1940 kw, which is capable to supp1y 1470 m3/min and, 580,000 m3/day, the low and medium pressure pipeline 120 km, to supp1y 45,000 houses. After the Yangquan Gas Company is founded, there accumulated to supply 602 m3 mixed gas to users.

The Coalbed Methane Development Corporation is founded in Yangquan Coal Grorp, which is in charge the coalbed methane development and utilization project plan and execution.

The experts from ICF Consulting of USA and other associated, seriously analyze the exist methane drainage data and current condition. Which is main1y constrained by mine coal production situation, with unbalanced methane production. And the utilization project is on1y city gas with limited market, especially in coal mine No.5 area, the drained methane reached 54.10 million m3, and utilized on1y 2.46m3, with utilization rate of 5.4%. In the area of coal mine NO.1 to 4, besides the methane supp1ied to city gas system, there is about 40%methane is emitted to atmosphere.

So, the experts initially proposed a 20MW gas engine power station in coal mine area to fully utilize the mine drained methane and, another 10kW gas engine power station in the area of coal mine No.1 to 4. Which is still decided in the final report. The project is not on1y for fully utilizing the mine methane, but also for reducing the emission of methane, the GHG, reducing the impact to ozone layer, with the obvious environment protection effect.

The experts of ADB project collected and analyzed the necessary data of the Shouyang block coalbed methane resources and reservoir parameter and, submitted the proposal on the block development prospect.

We admire hardworking of experts for ADB projects. We welcome the foreign CBM development companies and personnel with insight to join the CBM development in Yangquan Mining field.