Influence and control of coal facies on physical properties of the coal reservoirs in Western Guizhou and Eastern Yunnan, China

Western Guizhou and Eastern Yunnan have abundant coal resources, and they are considered as the most prospective areas for coalbed methane (CBM) development in Southern China. To explore the potential of CBM production in these areas, this paper identifies the plane distribution of coal facies, and analyses its control on the physical properties of coal reservoirs. Four types of coal facies including a wet forest swamp, an intergradation forest swamp, a drained forest swamp, and a fresh-water peat swamp were distinguished. The results show that coal facies play a significant role in the control of the coal reservoir properties for coals with similar rank.

Keywords: coal facies, coal reservoirs, pore-fracture structures, adsorption capacity, seepage capacity, coalbed methane, CBM, China