Production of Coal Fines in Deep Coal Seam via Morphologic, Flow-Channel, Mineral Analyses: Evidence from Coalbed Methane Wells in the Qinshui Basin

During the development of deep coalbed methane (CBM), the production of coal fines is common and suppresses the yield of CBM. This work takes the deep CBM wells in the Qinshui Basin as a case study, and the output, composition, morphology, and sources of coal fines were investigated through scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, proximate analysis, and particle size measurement including image analysis, laser diffraction, and dynamic light scattering. The results indicate that, in comparison with shallow CBM wells, deep wells produce a greater quantity of coal fines which are darker in color and have smaller particle sizes, with the majority being less than 10 mu m. The coal fines exist predominantly as aggregates that contained the iron-bearing and clay minerals. Based on the Liddinger particle settling model, the water production volume required for the coal fines to return to the surface in the Wuxiang block was calculated to be 8.55 m(3)/d. This work can provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of coal fines in deep CBM wells.