Thread Content
From \"Lethal Gas\" to Clean Energy: Industrialization of Shanxi’s Coalbed Methane Development Author/Source: Coal Chemical Industry Information Network Date: 10-24-2019 Clicks: 91 At the 2019 Taiyuan Energy Low-Carbon Development Forum, Wang Baoyu, General Manager of Shanxi Gas Group, said that in recent years Shanxi has accelerated the development and utilization of coalbed methane resources, enabling this resource to be transformed from something \"useless\" or \"harmful\" into a valuable and beneficial asset. What was once known as the \"killer of coal mines\" is now becoming an efficient and clean source of energy. Coalbed methane, commonly known as gas, is regarded as the “number one killer” of coal mine safety. At the same time, coalbed methane is also a highly efficient and clean energy source; the calorific value of 1 cubic meter of pure coalbed methane is equivalent to that of 1.22 kilograms of standard coal or 1.13 kilograms of gasoline. China’s coalbed methane reserves amount to about 30 trillion cubic meters, ranking it third in the world. Shanxi is one of the provinces in China with the highest abundance of coalbed methane resources and the greatest potential for development. Data shows that the geological resources of coalbed methane at depths of 2,000 meters or less in Shanxi Province amount to approximately 8.31 trillion cubic meters. By the end of 2018, the total proven reserves of coalbed methane in Shanxi Province were 667.5 billion cubic meters. “In the past, due to factors such as backward mining technologies, coal mining companies would release gas directly into the air to ensure mining safety. ”Wang Baoyu said that after it is extracted and processed, it can be used as fuel for power generation, industrial use, and household purposes; it can also be liquefied to serve as fuel for vehicles. This brings significant economic benefits, while at the same time avoiding air pollution resulting from direct emissions. To promote the development of the coalbed methane industry in Shanxi, starting in April 2016, the former Ministry of Land and Resources carried out a pilot reform for the approval process of coalbed methane mining rights in that region. In August 2017, Shanxi issued a plan for the exploration and development of coalbed methane resources; at the beginning of November 2017, it offered exploration rights for 10 coalbed methane blocks to bidders across the country, thereby accelerating the pace of coalbed methane development and utilization. The Sihe Coal Mine, located in the Qinsui Basin, is a high-gas mine with a production capacity of tens of millions of tons, belonging to Shanxi Jinmei Group. Its absolute gas emission rate is 1,665 cubic meters per minute. In the past, to address the gas problem, coal mines invested large amounts of money each year in gas control measures. In recent years, Sihe Coal Mine has adhered to simultaneous extraction both above and below ground, as well as simultaneous mining of coal and coalbed methane, thereby achieving comprehensive sampling of coalbed methane at all stages of coal production: before mining, during mining, and after mining. In 2018, the volume of gas extracted from the Sihe Coal Mine reached 807 million cubic meters. Gas has thus become another major source of revenue for the enterprise, in addition to coal. It has not only made it possible to operate this high-gas mine with reduced gas levels, but it has also provided a solid foundation for the company’s diversified and sustainable development. A relevant official from Shanxi Province said that accelerating the exploration and development of coalbed methane is becoming an important approach for the province to build a modern energy system that is clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient. In 2018, the amount of coalbed methane extracted at the surface in Shanxi reached 5.657 billion cubic meters, setting a new historical record; of this amount, 5.394 billion cubic meters were utilized, accounting for about 90% of the total nationwide. Meanwhile, the development of coalbed methane in Shanxi has gradually become industrialized, with significant progress being made in the establishment of industrial bases for coalbed methane in the Qinshui Basin and on the eastern edge of the Ordos Basin. A complete industrial chain for coalbed methane, covering upstream, midstream, and downstream stages, has been initially established. According to the \"Shanxi Province Coalbed Methane Resource Exploration and Development Plan (2016–2020)\\", by 2020, Shanxi Province aims to achieve an annual extraction volume of coalbed methane of 20 billion cubic meters, with the total output value across the entire industry chain involving exploration, extraction, transportation, and conversion of coalbed methane reaching around 100 billion yuan.