Advanced Reservoir and Production Engineering for Coal Bed Methane

Advanced Reservoir and Production Engineering for Coal Bed Methane presents the reader with design systems that will maximize production from worldwide coal bed methane reservoirs. Authored by an expert in the field with more than 40 years of’ experience, the author starts with much needed introductory basics on gas content and diffusion of gas in coal, crucial for anyone in the mining and natural gas industries.

Going a step further, chapters on hydrofracking, horizontal drilling technology, and production strategies address the challenges of dewatering, low production rates, and high development costs. This book systematically addresses all three zones of production levels, shallow coal, medium depth coal, and deep coal with coverage on gas extraction and production from a depth of 500 feet to upwards of 10,000 feet, strategies which cannot be found in any other reference book.

In addition, valuable content on deep coal seams with content on enhanced recovery, a discussion on CO2 flooding, infra-red heating and even in-situ combustion of degassed coal, giving engineers a greater understanding on how today’s shale activities can aid in enhancing production of coal bed for future natural gas production.

• Delivers how to recover and degas deeper coal seams while lowering development costs
• Addresses both sorption process and irreducible fraction of gas in coal, with examples based on the author’s 40 plus years of direct experience
• Explains how the same techniques used for production from deep shale activity can produce gas from deep coal seems with the help of enhanced recovery, leading to increased gas production

Dr. Pramod C Thakur is the president of a consulting firm, Expert Solutions for Mine Safety (ESMS) LLC, in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA, and an adjunct professor at the West Virginia University. He served the coal industry for 50 years. He began his career designing mine ventilation with Andrew Yule & Co for 8 years. During his last 42 years with CONOCO, CONSOL Energy and Murray Energy, he developed four different techniques for mine degasification and coalbed methane production. He researched respirable dust control and diesel exhaust dispersion at the Pennsylvania State University. These techniques are used not only in the United States but also in many countries overseas. Appointed by the Governor of West Virginia, he served as a commissioner for 18 years and wrote the WV Diesel Regulations that serves as a model for the global coal industry. He is a distinguished alumnus of IIT(ISM), India, and a Centennial Fellow of the Pennsylvania State University. He is a member of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME), USA, since 1969. He has written four books on mine ventilation and coalbed methane control and published more than 50 papers in technical journals. He has been awarded the Howard Hartmann and Howard Eavenson Award for excellent work in mine ventilation engineering and mine health and safety by the SME.