A review of experimental research on Enhanced Coal Bed Methane (ECBM) recovery via CO2 sequestration

Laboratory experiments are found to be an effective approach in characterizing and quantifying the micro-processes of combined ECBM and CO2 sequestration. A considerable number of applications are nowadays being employed based on the proposed laboratory data and suggestions. However, a significant range of results have been obtained globally, which have led to the foundation of multiple school of thoughts. This paper presents a comprehensive summary of the state of the art knowledge, underpins the science associated with gas adsorption/desorption, swelling/shrinkage in coals and discusses petrophysical properties (porosity, permeability, etc.) as functions of pressures, temperatures, moisture content and coal rank. A part of this article highlights the applications of recently developed X-ray tomography used to evaluate various petrophysical properties of coal, directly related to ECBM and CO2 sequestration. We finally identify potential research areas for future projects in strengthening the experimental data and our better understanding of ECBM technology, in general.