Genesis of Low CBM Production in Mid-Deep Reservoirs and Methods to Increase Regional Production: A Case Study in the Zhengzhuang Minefield, Qinshui Basin, China

[Image: see text] With the increase of the burial depth of the no. 3 coal seam in the Zhengzhuang minefield of Qinshui Basin, the production of surface coal bed methane (CBM) vertical wells was low. By means of theoretical analysis and numerical calculation, the causes of low production of CBM vertical wells were studied from the aspects of reservoir physical properties, development technology, stress conditions, and desorption characteristics. It was found that the high in situ stress conditions and stress state changes were the main controlling factors of the low production in the field. On this basis, the mechanism of increasing production and reservoir stimulation was explored. An L-type horizontal well was constructed alternately among the existing vertical wells on the surface to initiate a method to increase the regional production of fish-bone-shaped well groups. This method has the advantages of a large fracture extension range and a wide pressure relief area. It could also effectively connect the pre-existing fracture extension area of surface vertical wells, realizing the overall stimulation of the low-yield area and increasing the regional production. Through the optimization of the favorable stimulation area in the minefield, 8 L-type horizontal wells that adopted this method were constructed in the area with high gas content (greater than 18 m(3)/t), a thick coal seam (thicker than 5 m), and relatively rich groundwater in the north of the minefield. The average production of a single L-type horizontal well reached 6000 m(3)/d, which was about 30 times that of the surrounding vertical wells. The length of the horizontal section and the original gas content of the coal seam had a significant influence on the production of the L-type horizontal wells. This method for increasing the regional production of fish-bone-shaped well groups was an effective and feasible low-yield well stimulation technology, which provided a reference for increasing the production and efficiently developing CBM under the high-stress conditions in mid-deep high-rank coal seams.