Correlating Coal Petrology and Methane Adsorption Parameters of High-Volatile Bituminous Coals with P-Wave Velocity

The parameters of coal petrology and methane adsorption are significant to exploit coal and coalbed methane (CBM). Based on borehole core sampling, a new method using the P-wave velocity to predict coal maceral, coal face index, and Langmuir parameter of high-volatile bituminous coals was proposed. The results showed that the P-wave velocity correlated positively with coal skeletal density, apparent density, and ash yield with fitting coefficients (R2) of 0.55, 0.57, and 0.57, respectively, but it negatively correlated with coal porosity and moisture content with R2 of 0.56 and 0.60, respectively. Vitrinite, ranging from 14.8 to 82.7% with an average of 53.8%, positively correlated with coal porosity due to more micropores in vitrinite and thus negatively correlated with the density and P-wave velocity. Inertinite content was in the range of 5.4 to 27.4% with an average of 11.0%, which correlated negatively with the coal porosity and thus positively with the density and P-wave velocity for most of the samples. Furthermore, the P-wave velocity was weakly positively correlated with mineral content, and a negative correlation was found between the P-wave velocity and vitrinite/ inertinite ratio (V/I), gelification index (GI), and Langmuir volume (VL). The porosity (Y1), vitrinite content (Y2), inertinite content (Y3), and VL (Y4) of coals could be predicted based on the equations as follows: Y1 = 7842.4 e-0.003X, Y2 =-0.0003X2 + 1.0731X - 924.09, Y3 = 0.0003X2 - 1.2797X + 1405, and Y4 = -0.04X + 101.24, where X is the P-wave velocity. Generally, P-wave velocity could be largely used to predict the variations of the coal maceral and methane adsorption capacity of high-volatile bituminous coals, providing a new and valuable approach for CBM exploration and gas prevention in coal mines.

Automated summary

This study proposes a new method to predict the petrology and methane adsorption capacity of high-volatile bituminous coals using P-wave velocity. The results show that P-wave velocity is correlated with coal density, porosity, and maceral content, and can be used to predict variations in coal quality and methane adsorption capacity.