Geological Controls on the Gas Content and Permeability of Coal Reservoirs in the Daning Block, Southern Qinshui Basin

[Image: see text] The gas content and permeability of the coal reservoir are the key factors affecting coalbed methane (CBM) productivity. To investigate the geological controls on the permeability and gas content of coal reservoirs in the Daning block, southern Qinshui Basin, geological surveys combined with laboratory experiments, including coal petrology analysis, proximate analysis, and methane isothermal adsorption experiments, were carried out. The results show that the gas content of coals in the Daning block ranges from 5.56 to 17.57 (avg. 12.83) m(3)/t, and the coal permeability is generally above 0.1 mD, averaging 0.96 mD. The gas content of coal reservoirs shows decreasing trends with the increase in ash yield and moisture content, while tends to increase with the increase of vitrinite content; however, the correlation coefficients are all extremely low. The gas content presents a strong positive correlation with the burial depth of coal seams, but overall poorly correlates with the coal thickness. The CBM-rich areas are generally located at the hinge zones of secondary synclines, while the lower gas content areas commonly occur at the hinge zones of secondary anticlines. The normal faults are developed in the Daning block, and as expected, the gas content of coal seams that are near the normal faults is commonly lower. It was found that the well testing permeability of coal reservoirs in the Daning block decreases exponentially with the increase of the minimum horizontal stress (σ(h)) and the maximum horizontal principal stress (σ(H)). With the increase of the burial depth, the coal permeability also decreases exponentially. The primary and cataclastic structure coals generally have a higher hydro-fracturing permeability than the granulitic and mylonitic structure coals. This work can serve as a guide for the target area selections of CBM enrichment and high production in the Daning block.