Relative Permeability in Coal. This project aims to deliver a better model for coal relative permeability to improve the management of coal seam gas reservoirs. Coal relative permeability is a key factor in reservoir models; however, current understanding of relative permeability is wrong for coal systems and predictions based on it are misleading. Relative permeability is currently carried over from conventional gas reservoirs as a function of the degree of water saturation only. This misunders ....Relative Permeability in Coal. This project aims to deliver a better model for coal relative permeability to improve the management of coal seam gas reservoirs. Coal relative permeability is a key factor in reservoir models; however, current understanding of relative permeability is wrong for coal systems and predictions based on it are misleading. Relative permeability is currently carried over from conventional gas reservoirs as a function of the degree of water saturation only. This misunderstands the physical differences between coal and other rocks as gas reservoirs, fails to recognise the determinants of coal relative permeability, and misrepresents the flow system. This project seeks to provide a phenomenologically-based understanding and functional relationship for coal-relative permeability based on the principles than govern physical flow interactions.Read moreRead less
Mudstones as methane sources: gas production from coal seam interburden. Carbonaceous mudstones associated with coal measures already exploited for gas present an attractive reservoir of methane. This project seeks to provide methods for accessing this gas. Mudstone associated with coal seam gas developments are very extensive and gas quantities may exceed even that in the coal itself. Further infrastructure and access permits are already in place for coal seam gas recovery. Unlike shale, which ....Mudstones as methane sources: gas production from coal seam interburden. Carbonaceous mudstones associated with coal measures already exploited for gas present an attractive reservoir of methane. This project seeks to provide methods for accessing this gas. Mudstone associated with coal seam gas developments are very extensive and gas quantities may exceed even that in the coal itself. Further infrastructure and access permits are already in place for coal seam gas recovery. Unlike shale, which is fissile, mudstone is much softer, more malleable and plastic, and consequently will respond abnormally to hydraulic fracturing and propping, so new methods proposed to be developed in this project are needed for stimulation.Read moreRead less
The Effect of Fines Particles on Production and Permeability of cbm Reservoirs. Coalbed methane (cbm) energy resources in Australia exceed $20b in value. One of the production issues with recovering cbm is fines that are created or exist in the coal, which block gas flow to the recovery wells and damage downstream equipment. Understanding how fines are created and migrate within gas wells and then overcoming this problem, the purpose of this research, could deliver additional gas production wort ....The Effect of Fines Particles on Production and Permeability of cbm Reservoirs. Coalbed methane (cbm) energy resources in Australia exceed $20b in value. One of the production issues with recovering cbm is fines that are created or exist in the coal, which block gas flow to the recovery wells and damage downstream equipment. Understanding how fines are created and migrate within gas wells and then overcoming this problem, the purpose of this research, could deliver additional gas production worth over $1.8billion and reduce maintenance costs related to cbm extraction by $25m per year.Read moreRead less
Selective wellbore coatings to control fines damage in coal seam gas wells. This project aims to develop a completely new approach to control solids production in coal seam gas wellbores using a selective phase-inversion polymer coating. The approach will take advantage of the low permeability of mudrocks to form a protective barrier across clay-rich layers while remaining permeable across the gas-producing coal seams. The production of fine solids is a key technical issue affecting the producti ....Selective wellbore coatings to control fines damage in coal seam gas wells. This project aims to develop a completely new approach to control solids production in coal seam gas wellbores using a selective phase-inversion polymer coating. The approach will take advantage of the low permeability of mudrocks to form a protective barrier across clay-rich layers while remaining permeable across the gas-producing coal seams. The production of fine solids is a key technical issue affecting the productivity of coal seam gas wells in Queensland, and leads to 10-15 days’ production downtime a year. The expected outcomes of the project include fundamental understanding of the solids breakage phenomena, a predictive tool to classify potential solids risks in coal seam gas wells, and a novel rock-selective wellbore coating technology to control solids production. The potential economic impacts from the project are lower gas production costs and improved gas supply security.Read moreRead less
Enhanced productivity of coal seam gas wells by continuous gas circulation. This project aims to develop foam assisted continuous gas circulation for dewatering new and existing coal seam gas wells. The potential benefits of this new method include enhanced gas production, better well control, reduced costs and better environmental effectiveness. The proposed solution eliminates the need for mechanical pumps which are currently used for dewatering, and which fail regularly due to gas and solids ....Enhanced productivity of coal seam gas wells by continuous gas circulation. This project aims to develop foam assisted continuous gas circulation for dewatering new and existing coal seam gas wells. The potential benefits of this new method include enhanced gas production, better well control, reduced costs and better environmental effectiveness. The proposed solution eliminates the need for mechanical pumps which are currently used for dewatering, and which fail regularly due to gas and solids accumulation within the production wells. Continuous gas circulation could achieve significant savings in downtime and maintenance costs. In addition, reducing onsite maintenance will minimise access requirements for maintenance rigs which disrupt rural activities where the wells are located, thus easing local traffic and reduce the environmental impacts that are associated with well workovers.Read moreRead less
Anisotropic behaviour of coal for coalbed methane recovery and CO2 geosequestration. Amongst the cheapest and safest options for clean energy are to use natural gas from coal seams for electricity and fuel production and then permanently store carbon dioxide within the depleted seams. This requires information about the underground behaviour of coal at a level of detail which is not available. In particular, the directional and dynamic response of coal to changes in pressure, stress and gas in ....Anisotropic behaviour of coal for coalbed methane recovery and CO2 geosequestration. Amongst the cheapest and safest options for clean energy are to use natural gas from coal seams for electricity and fuel production and then permanently store carbon dioxide within the depleted seams. This requires information about the underground behaviour of coal at a level of detail which is not available. In particular, the directional and dynamic response of coal to changes in pressure, stress and gas interactions is required, which is the subject of this project. Coal bed methane is rapidly growing into a multi-billion dollar industry for Australia. The geosequestration of carbon dioxide in deep coal is widely recognised presenting a secure and economical opportunity for greenhouse gas control. Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC150100019
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,571,797.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Liquefied Natural Gas Futures. ARC Training Centre for Liquefied Natural Gas Futures. This training centre aims to deliver projects and training to enable future Australian Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) production from reserves in deep water, at small or remote on-shore locations, with greater efficiency, less environmental impact, and at lower cost than currently possible. This should be accomplished via research projects undertaken by the PhD students and research fellows ....ARC Training Centre for Liquefied Natural Gas Futures. ARC Training Centre for Liquefied Natural Gas Futures. This training centre aims to deliver projects and training to enable future Australian Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) production from reserves in deep water, at small or remote on-shore locations, with greater efficiency, less environmental impact, and at lower cost than currently possible. This should be accomplished via research projects undertaken by the PhD students and research fellows with guidance from the centre’s industrial partners. The centre’s expected legacy is a unique research and training facility, designed for future integration into a microscale LNG plant. The anticipated research and training outcomes will help to ensure Australia plays a leading role in future global LNG developments.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE150100213
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$180,000.00
Summary
x-ray transparent core flood apparatus . X-ray transparent core flood apparatus: This facility is a novel X-ray transparent flow vessel and ancillaries for achieving direct, near-real-time, 3D measurement and visualisation of material flow inside rock samples. It will enable direct evaluation of how liquid, liquid-solid, gas-liquid and gas-liquid-solid flows behave in cores replicating conditions in underground reservoirs. The coal seam gas, shale gas and oil, and geothermal energy recovery rely ....x-ray transparent core flood apparatus . X-ray transparent core flood apparatus: This facility is a novel X-ray transparent flow vessel and ancillaries for achieving direct, near-real-time, 3D measurement and visualisation of material flow inside rock samples. It will enable direct evaluation of how liquid, liquid-solid, gas-liquid and gas-liquid-solid flows behave in cores replicating conditions in underground reservoirs. The coal seam gas, shale gas and oil, and geothermal energy recovery rely on precise understanding and simulation of subsurface flow. This apparatus will provide a new method to measure and visualise otherwise inaccessible flow behaviour, at a high level of detail, providing characterisation and model validation data underpinning reservoir simulations.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100569
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,952.00
Summary
Recovering helium from Australia’s natural gas: A case study for advanced adsorption processes to concentrate dilute gases. This project will deliver breakthroughs in gas separation technologies for the production of helium from natural gas. Global demand for helium in critical medical, scientific and industrial applications is projected to grow at around five per cent per annum. To overcome the forecast short falls in helium production, new low cost and energy efficient technologies to recover ....Recovering helium from Australia’s natural gas: A case study for advanced adsorption processes to concentrate dilute gases. This project will deliver breakthroughs in gas separation technologies for the production of helium from natural gas. Global demand for helium in critical medical, scientific and industrial applications is projected to grow at around five per cent per annum. To overcome the forecast short falls in helium production, new low cost and energy efficient technologies to recover helium from natural gas fields must be developed. This project will contribute novel microporous adsorbents, a better understanding of helium sorption kinetics and general methodologies for design of pressure swing adsorption processes to concentrate dilute mixtures.Read moreRead less
Flue Gas and CO2 Geosequestration in Surat and Bowen Basin Coals. Climate change considerations require that CO2 emissions to atmosphere be severely reduced. This is best done in the short term by permanently storing the CO2 underground. Amongst the cheapest and safest options are to use coal seams, which then release valuable methane. The market value of this extra methane is ~$9billion and this reduces the cost of sequestration from ~$56 to $25/t CO2. Coal has a very strong affinity for CO2, ....Flue Gas and CO2 Geosequestration in Surat and Bowen Basin Coals. Climate change considerations require that CO2 emissions to atmosphere be severely reduced. This is best done in the short term by permanently storing the CO2 underground. Amongst the cheapest and safest options are to use coal seams, which then release valuable methane. The market value of this extra methane is ~$9billion and this reduces the cost of sequestration from ~$56 to $25/t CO2. Coal has a very strong affinity for CO2, so flue gas stream from power stations can be injected directly, eliminating the need for equipment to capture the CO2, providing savings of ~$500million for each large power station.Read moreRead less