A Numerical Evaluation of Coal Seam Permeability Derived from Borehole Gas Flow Rate

Coal seam permeability is a critical factor in coal seam gas extraction and gas outburst control. In Australian coal mines, coal seam permeability is normally estimated using a packer test or drill stem test. In contrast, Chinese coal mines generally estimate a parameter called the “gas conductivity coefficient” by measuring natural gas flow rates from an underground borehole drilled through a coal seam. With this method, it has been frequently reported that the permeability of many Chinese coal seams is between 0.0001 mD and 0.01 mD, which is extremely low compared to that of Australian coal seams (1–100 mD). It is therefore natural to wonder how closely the Chinese method measures permeability. Resolving this question will allow knowledge and experience in outburst management to be shared between Australian and Chinese coal mines. This question is investigated by the numerical modelling of gas desorption and flow through a seam of known permeability and by using the model’s borehole gas flow rate to estimate the permeability using the Chinese method. A total of 126 simulations were run with various input reservoir parameters. The results suggest that the Chinese method estimates permeability at an accuracy of 85% to 100%, which is adequate for mine pre-drainage design and outburst control. For the high diffusion rate (e.g., high gas content and short desorption time) and low Darcy flow rates (e.g., low permeability), these errors are reduced.