Physical Simulation Test of Underground Coal Gasification Cavity Evolution in the Horizontal Segment of U-Shaped Well

Yufeng Zhao, Zhen Dong (), Yanpeng Chen, Hao Chen, Shanshan Chen, Mengyuan Zhang, Junjie Xue, Xinggang Wang and Lixin Jiao
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Yufeng Zhao: Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China
Zhen Dong: Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China
Yanpeng Chen: Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China
Hao Chen: Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China
Shanshan Chen: Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China
Mengyuan Zhang: Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China
Junjie Xue: Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China
Xinggang Wang: Research Institute of Exploration and Development, Tuha Oilfield Company, PetroChina, Hami 839009, China
Lixin Jiao: Research Institute of Exploration and Development, Tuha Oilfield Company, PetroChina, Hami 839009, China

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 8, 1-15

Abstract: A key point in the underground coal gasification process is the cavity evolution in the horizontal segment. The morphological evolution law of the gasification cavity has not been clarified, which is the bottleneck restricting the analysis of its controllability. In this paper, a physical simulation system for cavity generation was developed, and the cavity evolution in a targeted coal seam with overburden pressure was duplicated in the laboratory. A set of temperature field synchronous monitoring devices was developed to realize temperature sampling within a cavity and the surrounding rock. By analyzing the relationship between the overall temperature distribution pattern and the gasification agent injection condition, the morphological propagation law of the cavity is verified to be water drop-shaped, and influencing factors including the injection flow rate and the gasification agent component ratio are investigated. The axial length and volume of the cavity increase with an increasing injection flow rate. Higher oxygen content results in increased size in all dimensions. The research results provide theoretical support and reference for applying controlled cavity formation in the horizontal segment of U-shaped wells.

Keywords: underground coal gasification; gasification cavity; cavity evolution; physical simulation; temperature field (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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