Gas to
Water
compressor
Ground
Claystone
level
Shallow
Cement
water
to surface
sand
Annulus
Claystone
Tubing
Shallow water sand
Claystone
Casing
Carbonaceous
shale
Coal
Submersible
pump
Carbonaceous
shale
Sump
21
Role of Water in Recovery and Production of Raw Fuels
FiGUre 2.2 (See color insert.) Simplified illustration of a coal bed methane production
well. (From Huth, E., Sule, M., Todman, L., Brant, J., and Templeton, M., “Treatment and
reuse of coalbed methane produced water using pervaporation irrigation,” 22nd Annual
Produced Water Society Conference, January 17–19, 2012. With permission.)
from deeper coal formations. The produced water may contain nitrate, nitrite, chlorides, other salts, benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, other minerals, metals, and high
levels of the total dissolved solids [6,12]. The method of disposal of the produced
water depends on (1) the quality of water and (2) the geographical location of the
coal bed. Sometimes, the produced water can be an important source for (1) drinking
water or (2) water used for the irrigation purposes [6].
Unlike in coal bed methane, in geopressurized zones, confinement of water
causes thermal built-up partly because the rate of upward movement of water is not
great enough to carry away geothermal heat added to the system and partly because
water has a high-specific heat and a low thermal conductivity [6,11]. This thermal
built-up further increases the pressure in the geopressurized zones. Water salinity
is also increased with depth in the sand bed aquifers within geopressurized zones.
Geopressurized zones are underground natural formations that are at unusually
high pressures for their depth. These zones are formed by the deposition of clays
Water
compressor
Ground
Claystone
level
Shallow
Cement
water
to surface
sand
Annulus
Claystone
Tubing
Shallow water sand
Claystone
Casing
Carbonaceous
shale
Coal
Submersible
pump
Carbonaceous
shale
Sump
21
Role of Water in Recovery and Production of Raw Fuels
FiGUre 2.2 (See color insert.) Simplified illustration of a coal bed methane production
well. (From Huth, E., Sule, M., Todman, L., Brant, J., and Templeton, M., “Treatment and
reuse of coalbed methane produced water using pervaporation irrigation,” 22nd Annual
Produced Water Society Conference, January 17–19, 2012. With permission.)
from deeper coal formations. The produced water may contain nitrate, nitrite, chlorides, other salts, benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, other minerals, metals, and high
levels of the total dissolved solids [6,12]. The method of disposal of the produced
water depends on (1) the quality of water and (2) the geographical location of the
coal bed. Sometimes, the produced water can be an important source for (1) drinking
water or (2) water used for the irrigation purposes [6].
Unlike in coal bed methane, in geopressurized zones, confinement of water
causes thermal built-up partly because the rate of upward movement of water is not
great enough to carry away geothermal heat added to the system and partly because
water has a high-specific heat and a low thermal conductivity [6,11]. This thermal
built-up further increases the pressure in the geopressurized zones. Water salinity
is also increased with depth in the sand bed aquifers within geopressurized zones.
Geopressurized zones are underground natural formations that are at unusually
high pressures for their depth. These zones are formed by the deposition of clays