Influence of longwall mining on the stability of gas wells in chain pillars

Longwall mining has a significant influence on gas wells located within longwall chain pillars. Subsurface subsidence and abutment pressure induced by longwall mining can cause excessive stresses and deformations in gas well casings. If the gas well casings are compromised or ruptured, natural gas could migrate into the mine workings, potentially causing a fire or explosion. By the current safety regulations,the gas wells in the chain pillars have to be either plugged or protected by adequate coal pillars. The current regulations for gas well pillar design are based on the 1957 Pennsylvania gas well pillar study. The study provided guidelines for gas well pillars by considering their support area and overburden depth as well as the location of the gas wells within the pillars. As the guidelines were developed for room-andpillar mining under shallow cover, they are no longer applicable to modern longwall coal mining, particularly, under deep cover. Gas well casing of failures have occurred even though the chain pillars for the gas wells met the requirements by the 1957 study. This study, conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH), presents seven cases of conventional gas wells penetrating through longwall chain pillars in the Pittsburgh Coal Seam. The study results indicate that overburden depth and pillar size are not the only determining factors for gas well stability. The other important factors include subsurface ground movement, overburden geology, weak floor, as well as the type of the construction of gas wells. Numerical modeling was used to model abutment pressure, subsurface deformations, and the response of gas well casings. The study demonstrated that numerical models are able to predict with reasonable accuracy the subsurface deformations in the overburden above,within, and below the chain pillars, and the potential location and modes of gas well failures, thereby providing a more quantifiable approach to assess the stability of the gas wells in longwall chain pillars.     

Effects of longwall-induced stress and deformation on the stability and mechanical integrity of shale gas wells drilled through a longwall abutment pillar

This paper presents the results of a comprehensive study conducted by CONSOL Energy, Marcellus Shale Coalition, and Pennsylvania Coal Association to evaluate the effects of longwall-induced subsurface deformations on the mechanical integrity of shale gas wells drilled over a longwall abutment pillar.The primary objective is to demonstrate that a properly constructed gas well in a standard longwall abutment pillar can maintain mechanical integrity during and after mining operations. A study site was selected over a southwestern Pennsylvania coal mine, which extracts 457-m-wide longwall faces under about 183 m of cover. Four test wells and four monitoring wells were drilled and installed over a 38-m by84-m centers abutment pillar. In addition to the test wells and monitoring wells, surface subsidence measurements and underground coal pillar pressure measurements were conducted as the 457-m-wide longwall panels on the south and north sides of the abutment pillar were mined by. To evaluate the resulting coal protection casing profile and lateral displacement, three separate 60-arm caliper surveys were conducted. This research represents a very important step and initiative to utilize the knowledge and science obtained from mining research to improve miner and public safety as well as the safety and health of the oil and gas industries.     

大面积连续分布是页岩层系油气的标志特征——以鄂尔多斯盆地为例

非常规页岩层系油气资源大面积连续分布,是未来全球油气供应的重要接替领域。提出了页岩层系油气的地质内涵,即烃源层系生成、滞留或就近聚集在生烃层系内部或紧邻生烃层系的致密储集层中,利用新技术可实现工业开采的连续分布油气资源,包括源储一体型和源储紧邻型两种资源类型。鄂尔多斯盆地是致密油气、页岩油气等非常规页岩层系油气资源的有利发育区,中生界三叠系延长组、上古生界石炭系—二叠系源储接触面积大,页岩油气、致密油气主要在源内或近源大面积连续分布,具有“普遍含油气、储层致密、低压、低丰度”的典型地质特征,具有稳定平缓的构造面貌、较高成熟源岩广布式生排烃和大面积致密储层叠置分布的有利成藏地质背景,致密油气“甜点区(段)”主要受生烃中心和厚层砂岩分布共同控制,页岩油气“甜点区(段)”主要受富有机质页岩规模、热演化程度、天然裂缝等共同控制。随着页岩层系油气的深入勘探开发,以大面积连续分布为标志特征的页岩层系油气地质理论将深入发展,成为石油天然气地质学的下一次大飞跃。     

Fracture evolution and pressure relief gas drainage from distant protected coal seams under an extremely thick key stratum

When an extremely thick rock bed exists above a protected coal seam in the bending zone given the condition of a mining protective seam, this extremely thick rock bed controls the movement of the entire overlying stratum. This extremely thick rock bed, called a "main key stratum", will not subside nor break for a long time, causing lower fractures and bed separations not to close and gas can migrate to the bed separation areas along the fractures. These bed separations become gas enrichment areas. By analyzing the rule of fracture evolution and gas migration under the main key stratum after the deep protective coal seam has been mined, we propose a new gas drainage method which uses bore holes, drilled through rock and coal seams at great depths for draining pressure relief gas. In this method, the bores are located at a high level suction roadway (we can also drill them in the drilling field located high in an air gateway). Given the practice in the Halzi mine, the gas drainage rate can reach 73% in the middie coal group, with a gas drainage radius over 100 m.     

Effect of longwall-induced subsurface deformations on shale gas well casing stability under deep covers

This paper presents the results of a 2017 study conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH), Pittsburgh Mining Research Division(PMRD), to evaluate the effects of longwall-induced subsurface deformations within a longwall abutment pillar under deep cover. The 2017 study was conducted in a southwestern Pennsylvania coal mine, which extracts 457 m-wide longwall panels under 361 m of cover. One 198 m-deep, in-place inclinometer monitoring well was drilled and installed over a 45 m by 84 m center abutment pillar. In addition to the monitoring well, surface subsidence measurements and underground coal pillar pressure measurements were conducted as the 457 m-wide longwall panel on the south side of the abutment pillar was being mined. Prior to the first longwall excavation, a number of simulations using FLAC3D~(TM) were conducted to estimate surface subsidence, increases in underground coal pillar pressure, and subsurface horizontal displacements in the monitoring well. Comparisons of the pre-mining FLAC3D simulation results and the surface, subsurface,and underground instrumentation results show that the measured in-place inclinometer casing deformations are in reasonable agreement with those predicted by the 3D finite difference models. The measured surface subsidence and pillar pressure are in excellent agreement with those predicted by the 3D models.Results from this 2017 research clearly indicate that, under deep cover, the measured horizontal displacements within the abutment pillar are approximately one order of magnitude smaller than those measured in a 2014 study under medium cover.     

Longwall mining,shale gas production,and underground miner safety and health

This paper presents the results of a unique study conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH) from 2016 to 2019 to evaluate the effects of longwall-induced subsurface deformations on shale gas well casing integrity and underground miner safety and health. At both deep-cover and shallow-cover instrumentation sites, surface subsidence measurements, subsurface inplace inclinometer measurements, and underground pillar pressure measurements were conducted as longwall panels were mined. Comparisons of the deep-cover and shallow-cover test site results with those from a similar study under medium cover reveal an interesting longwall-induced response scenario. Under shallow and medium covers, measured horizontal displacements within the abutment pillar are one order of magnitude higher than those measured under deep cover. On the other hand, measured vertical compressions under deep cover are one order of magnitude higher than those under shallow and medium covers. However, FLAC3 Dsimulations of the casings indicate that, in all three cases, the P-110 production casings remain intact under longwall-induced deformations and compressions, which has serious implications for future mine design in areas where shale gas wells have been drilled ahead of mining.     

页岩气水平井桥塞分段压裂超压砂堵处理技术

桥塞分段压裂是页岩气水平井开发的主导技术之一,但受储层特性以及施工决策等因素的影响,超压砂堵很难避免。分析解堵机理,依据井筒中有无高粘度液体以及顶替是否完成将砂堵分为8种类型;结合页岩气储层地质、工艺特点,提出了采用疏通老缝和压开新缝的解堵方法。     

Assessing risks from mining-induced ground movements near gas wells

The proliferation of unconventional gas well development in the Northern Appalachian coalfields has raised a number of mine safety concerns. Unconventional wells, which extract gas from deep shale formations, are characterized by gas volumes and pressures that are significantly higher than those observed at many conventional wells. The gas is composed largely of methane as well as other hydrocarbons. Hundreds of planned and actively producing wells penetrate protective coal pillars or barriers within active mine boundaries, including chain pillars located between longwall panels. Gas released from a well damaged by mining-induced ground movements could pose a risk to miners by flowing into the mine atmosphere. The mining-induced ground movements that may cause well damage include conventional subsidence, non-conventional subsidence(e.g. bedding plane slip), pillar failure, and floor instability. This paper describes the known risk factors for each of the four failure mechanisms. It includes a framework that can guide the risk assessment process when mining takes place near gas or oil wells.     

高瓦斯综放采煤工作面瓦斯综合治理方案

针对佳新煤矿1504综放工作面瓦斯的实际情况,分析了该工作面的瓦斯主要涌出来源及涌出量,结合该矿通风系统及瓦斯抽采现状,在上下顺槽顺层、上隅角、措施巷道等采用钻孔、高位钻场、埋管、吊管多种方式抽放,以及增加工作面风量和局部风机对上隅角供风等综合措施治理瓦斯,从而解决了上隅角及回风巷瓦斯超限问题,确保了工作面安全高效生产,真正实现了高瓦斯综放工作面的高产高效。     

Strata movement and stress evolution when mining two overlapping panels affected by hard stratum

Mining causes stress redistribution and stratum movement. In this paper, a numerical model was built according to the geological conditions in the 12 th coal mine in Pingdingshan city to study the strata movement and the evolution of stress when mining two overlapping longwall panels, named panels#14 and #15. The strata close to the mined panel move directly towards the gob, while the strata that are farther away swing back and forth during the mining process. The directed movement and swinging can break the transverse boreholes for gas extraction; a surface borehole should not be within the range of directional movement. The stress evolution suggested that the mining of the lower panel #15 after the upper panel #14 would further increase the de-stressed range, while the stress concentration around the mined panel would be increased. Hard strata usually carry a greater stress than adjacent rocks and soft coal seams. The stress in a hard stratum increases greatly, and the stress decreases greatly in the coal seams below the hard stratum. This study supplies a reference for similar coal mines and is useful for determining the de-stressed range and transverse borehole arrangement for gas extraction.     

Numerical analysis and geotechnical assessment of mine scale model

Various numerical methods are available to model, simulate, analyse and interpret the results; however a major task is to select a reliable and intended tool to perform a realistic assessment of any problem. For a model to be a representative of the realistic mining scenario, a verified tool must be chosen to perform an assessment of mine roof support requirement and address the geotechnical risks associated with longwall mining. The dependable tools provide a safe working environment, increased production, efficient management of resources and reduce environmental impacts of mining. Although various methods, for example, analytical, experimental and empirical are being adopted in mining, in recent days numerical tools are becoming popular due to the advancement in computer hardware and numerical methods. Empirical rules based on past experiences do provide a general guide, however due to the heterogeneous nature of mine geology (i.e., none of the mine sites are identical), numerical simulations of mine site specific conditions would lend better insights into some underlying issues. The paper highlights the use of a continuum mechanics based tool in coal mining with a mine scale model. The continuum modelling can provide close to accurate stress fields and deformation. The paper describes the use of existing mine data to calibrate and validate the model parameters, which then are used to assess geotechnical issues related with installing a new high capacity longwall mine at the mine site. A variety of parameters, for example, chock convergences, caveability of overlying sandstones, abutment and vertical stresses have been estimated.     

The current perspective of the PA 1957 gas well pillar study and its implications for longwall gas well pillars

Many states rely upon the Pennsylvania 1957 Gas Well Pillar Study to evaluate the coal barrier surrounding gas wells. The study included 77 gas well failure cases that occurred in the Pittsburgh and Freeport coal seams over a 25-year span. At the time, coal was mined using the room-and-pillar mining method with full or partial pillar recovery, and square or rectangle pillars surrounding the gas wells were left to protect the wells. The study provided guidelines for pillar sizes under different overburden depths up to213 m(700 ft). The 1957 study has also been used to determine gas well pillar sizes in longwall mines since longwall mining began in the 1970 s. The original study was developed for room-and-pillar mining and could be applied to gas wells in longwall chain pillars under shallow cover. However, under deep cover, severe deformations in gas wells have occurred in longwall chain pillars. Presently, with a better understanding of coal pillar mechanics, new insight into subsidence movements induced by retreat mining, and advances in numerical modeling, it has become both critically important and feasible to evaluate the adequacy of the 1957 study for longwall gas well pillars. In this paper, the data from the 1957 study is analyzed from a new perspective by considering various factors, including overburden depth, failure location, failure time, pillar safety factor(SF), and floor pressure. The pillar SF and floor pressure are calculated by considering abutment pressure induced by full pillar recovery. A statistical analysis is performed to find correlations between various factors and helps identify the most significant factors for the stability of gas wells influenced by retreat mining. Through analyzing the data from the 1957 study, the guidelines for gas well pillars in the 1957 study are evaluated for their adequacy for roomand-pillar mining and their applicability to longwall mining. Numerical modeling is used to model the stability of gas wells by quantifying the mining-induced stresses in gas well casings. Results of this study indicate that the guidelines in the 1957 study may be appropriate for pillars protecting conventional gas wells in both room-and-pillar mining and longwall mining under overburden depths up to 213 m(700 ft),but may not be sufficient for protective pillars under deep cover. The current evaluation of the 1957 study provides not only insights about potential gas well failures caused by retreat mining but also implications for what critical considerations should be taken into account to protect gas wells in longwall mining.     

倾斜长壁工作面老顶岩层破断规律的研究

本文利用弹性基础梁理论,研究了倾斜长壁工作面老顶岩梁的运动和破断规律,分别对仰斜开采和俯斜开采条件下老顶岩层断裂的位置和条件、老顶来压步距等进行了分析.研究表明,倾斜长壁开采时老顶岩梁的初次断裂过程有三种类型,并给出了相应的计算公式。同时分析了煤层倾角和顶板条件对老顶断裂和矿压显现的影响。     

Controlling the effect of a distant extremely thick igneous rock in overlying strata on coal mine disasters

Based on theoretical analysis, similarity simulation tests, numerical simulation analysis and field observations, we analyzed rock collapse and rules of fraction evolution of overlying rocks and studied the rules in controlling the effect of an extremely thick igneous rock, found above a main mining coal seam in an area prone to coal mine disasters in the Haizi Coal Mine. The results show that this igneous rock, called a "main key stratum", will not subside nor break for a long time, causing lower fractures and bed separations not to close. The presence of igneous rock plays an important role in rock bursts, mine floods, gas outburst and surface subsidence in coal mines. By analyzing the rules in controlling the effect of this igneous rock, we provide useful references for safety and high efficiency mining in coal mines under special geological conditions.     

CFD simulations for longwall gas drainage design optimisation

Computational fluid dynamics(CFD) simulation is an effective approach to develop and optimise gas drainage design for underground longwall coal mining. As part of the project supported by the Australian Government Coal Mining Abatement Technology Support Package(CMATSP), threedimensional CFD simulations were conducted to test and optimise a conceptual design which proposes using horizontal boreholes to replace vertical boreholes at an underground coal mine in Australia.Drainage performance between a vertical borehole and a horizontal borehole was first carried out to compare their capacity and effectiveness. Then a series of cases with different horizontal borehole designs were simulated to optimise borehole configuration parameters such as location, diameter, and number of boreholes. The study shows that the horizontal borehole is able to create low pressure sinks that protect the workings from goaf gas ingresses by changing goaf gas flow directions, and that it has the advantage to continuously maintain such low pressure sinks near the tailgate as the longwall advances. An example of optimising horizontal borehole locations in the longwall lateral direction is also given in this paper.     

应用瓦斯地质图指导安全生产

本文介绍了半罗山矿的地质概况，探讨了低瓦斯矿井瓦斯漏出的一般规律，论述了瓦斯地质编图对煤矿通风安全及生产的指导意义。     

上邻近层残存瓦斯压力的理论与应用

本文根据岩体力学与采场覆岩移动原理,探讨了煤层原始瓦斯压力、采场开采技术参数、覆岩岩性、煤层倾角等对上邻近层残存瓦斯压力的影响。指出了采场覆岩法向裂缝宽度是影响上邻近层残存瓦斯压力的关键因素,推导出了能够反映上述影响的上邻近层残存瓦斯压力计算公式。经过实际应用证明比已有的其它公式理论性强、精度高。据此还可以计算上邻近层瓦斯涌出量、可抽放瓦斯量及考察解放层的解放效果等。     

页岩暂堵转向压裂水力裂缝扩展物模试验研究

暂堵转向压裂是提高页岩储层重复压裂缝网改造效果的重要手段，然而该压裂工艺对页岩水力裂缝扩展规律的影响机理尚不明确。因此，基于室内真三轴压裂物模试验，研究页岩暂堵转向压裂裂缝起裂与扩展规律，分析地应力及注入速率等因素对水力裂缝延伸行为的影响，并通过油藏改造面积(SRA)定量表征暂堵转向压裂缝网改造效果。结果表明，暂堵剂可有效封堵初始裂缝，憋压促使水力裂缝发生缝内转向或激活原生天然裂缝系统，提高页岩缝网复杂程度；根据最终水力裂缝形态展，可划分为4种基本类型，包括台阶状缝、激活天然弱面的横切缝、简单多裂缝以及复杂多裂缝网络；不同地应力差异条件下暂堵机理及裂缝延伸规律不同，当水平应力差小于12 MPa时，暂堵剂通过封堵近井筒初始张开的原生层理或天然裂缝，诱导产生与天然裂缝斜交的二次裂缝，当应力差高于15 MPa时，近井筒天然弱面难以激活，暂堵剂通过封堵垂直井筒的初始横切裂缝，诱发形成平行多横切裂缝；增大注液排量可以提高多裂缝形成几率及裂缝沟通面积。     

Evaluation of seismic potential in a longwall mine with massive sandstone roof under deep overburden

A recent seismic event was recorded by a deep longwall mine in Virginia at 3.7 ML on the local magnitude scale and 3.4 MMS by the United States Geological Survey(USGS) in 2016.Further investigations by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH) and Coronado Coal researchers have shown that this event was associated with geological features that have also been associated with other, similar seismic events in Virginia.Detailed mapping and geological exploration in the mining area has made it possible to forecast possible locations for future seismic activity.In order to use the geology as a forecaster of mining-induced seismic events and their energy potential, two primary components are needed.The first component is a long history of recorded seismic events with accurately plotted locations.The second component is a high density of geologic data within the mining area.In this case, 181 events of 1.0 MLor greater were recorded by the mine's seismic network between January, 2009, and October, 2016.Within the mining area, 897 geophysical logs, 224 core holes, and 1031 fiberscope holes were examined by mine geologists.From this information, it was found that overburden thickness, sandstone thickness, and sandstone quality contributed greatly to seismic locations.After the data was analyzed, a pattern became apparent indicating that the majority of seismic events occurred under specific conditions.Three forecast maps were created based on geology of previous seismic locations.The forecast maps have shown an accuracy of within 74%–89% when compared to the recorded 181 events that were1.0 MLor greater when considering three major geological criteria of overburden thickness of 579.12 m or greater, 6.096–12.192 m of sandstone within 15.24 m of the Pocahontas number 3 seam, and a longwall caving height of 4.572 m or less.     

鄂西渝东区东岳庙段页岩气压裂实践与分析

前期评价表明,江汉油田部分区块页岩气富集、地质条件优越,其中鄂西渝东区被评为中石化南方Ⅰ类区块,具有巨大的勘探开发潜力。鄂西渝东区东岳庙段的页岩气压裂实践证明缝网压裂技术在工艺上是可行的,陆相东岳庙段页岩储层地层压力系数高、天然裂缝发育,有利于页岩气的大规模缝网压裂改造。微地震裂缝监测结合施工曲线有助于分析压裂过程中具体现象,但应加强裂缝监测手段及精度提升研究,加强数据的校核及干扰的排除以提高监测结果的可靠性。