Location
Rolla, Missouri
Session Dates
11 Jun 1999 - 17 Jun 1999
Keywords and Phrases
Abandoned Coal Mine; Golden Eagle; Coalbed Methane; Gas Production; Coal Mine Methane; Numerical Modeling; Overburden Relaxation; Gas Migration
Abstract
The abandoned Golden Eagle underground coal mine in Colorado contains gassy coals from which Stroud Oil Properties, Inc. (Stroud) has been recovering gas since 1996. The mine closed permanently in 1996, and during its operation drained methane from gob and ventilation boreholes. Stroud currently produces about 1.8 million cubic feet of near pipeline quality gas per day from six of these boreholes. Although the project has proven successful, gas recovery has been challenging because of low bottom hole pressure and variable borehole performance. Wellhead compressors are required to boost gas pressure for delivery to the main plant. Connecting additional boreholes to the gathering system often decreases production from existing production boreholes. Increasing gas removal has resulted in air leaks that lower gas quality. Stroud monitors the gas quality and blends any below-spec gas with its above-spec gas to ensure that the resulting product meets pipeline standards. This gas is then compressed for sale into a nearby pipeline. Overburden relaxation and finite difference modeling indicate that overlying coal seams and the coal remaining at the margins of the mined out workings contribute a significant amount of gas to the current production.
Department(s)
Mining Engineering
Meeting Name
8th U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium
Publisher
University of Missouri--Rolla
Document Version
Final Version
Document Type
Article - Conference proceedings
File Type
text
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Hupp, Kenton L.; Bibler, Carol; and Pilcher, Raymond C., "Recovery of Methane from the Abandoned Golden Eagle Mine Property" (1999). U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium. 1.
https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/usmvs/8usmvs/8usmvs-theme4/1
Recovery of Methane from the Abandoned Golden Eagle Mine Property
Rolla, Missouri
The abandoned Golden Eagle underground coal mine in Colorado contains gassy coals from which Stroud Oil Properties, Inc. (Stroud) has been recovering gas since 1996. The mine closed permanently in 1996, and during its operation drained methane from gob and ventilation boreholes. Stroud currently produces about 1.8 million cubic feet of near pipeline quality gas per day from six of these boreholes. Although the project has proven successful, gas recovery has been challenging because of low bottom hole pressure and variable borehole performance. Wellhead compressors are required to boost gas pressure for delivery to the main plant. Connecting additional boreholes to the gathering system often decreases production from existing production boreholes. Increasing gas removal has resulted in air leaks that lower gas quality. Stroud monitors the gas quality and blends any below-spec gas with its above-spec gas to ensure that the resulting product meets pipeline standards. This gas is then compressed for sale into a nearby pipeline. Overburden relaxation and finite difference modeling indicate that overlying coal seams and the coal remaining at the margins of the mined out workings contribute a significant amount of gas to the current production.
