Carbon dioxide flow and interactions in a high rank coal: Permeability evolution and reversibility of reactive processes

The results show a considerable reduction of permeability above 1.5 MPa CO2 pressure that is correlated with the coal matrix swelling induced by CO2 adsorption. Notably studied in this work, the chemically-induced strain due to gas sorption into coal, that has been isolated and quantified from the mechanically-induced strain as a result of changes in effective stress conditions. The results of post-CO2 core flooding tests using helium (He), nitrogen (N2) and methane (CH4) demonstrated a degree of restoration of the initial permeability. The injection of N2 showed no significant changes in the coal permeability and reversibility of matrix swelling. The initial permeability of the coal sample was partially restored after replacing N2 by CH4. Observation of permeability evolution indicates that the stored CO2 has remained stable in coal under the conditions of the experiments.