The TMK Energy company's project for the development of the Gurvantes XXXV coal seam in Mongolia is approaching a critical moment when gas production will begin.
Testing conducted at the pilot well LF-06 showed that pressure is dropping, which aligns with the company's expectations.
A decrease in pressure is a necessary condition for extracting gas from coal seams. This is achieved by pumping out water, which leads to a reduction in underground pressure. When the pressure drops, the seam reaches the critical desorption point, at which methane begins to be released from the coal matrix.
TMK reports that the company is pumping out about 500 barrels of water daily, which helps reduce reservoir pressure and brings it closer to the critical moment.
“It is nice to see that the pressure continues to decrease,” commented Dougal Ferguson, acting director of TMK Energy.
A recent analysis confirmed that the majority of the pumped-out water comes specifically from the coal seams, rather than from adjacent aquifers, which confirms the permeability of these seams.
According to the latest data, the pressure readings at the well closely match the calculated models based on Langmuir curves, which demonstrate how much gas can be held in coal at various pressures. Coal, like a sponge, holds gas, and the higher the pressure, the more gas it can retain.
These curves were obtained from core samples taken from the exploratory well Snow Leopard-2 in 2022 and were used to predict the behavior of the coal seam and gas content.
TMK also noted that the recent drop in pressure coincided with an increase in gas manifestations, which is a positive sign. Although the company emphasizes that a significant increase in gas production will only be possible after reaching the actual desorption point, early signs of activity are encouraging.
“I am glad to see that our new technical work and updated models accurately reflect the pressure drop at the LF-06 well,” added Dougal Ferguson.
Although Mongolia is better known for its copper and coal deposits, the Gurvantes XXXV project is seen as promising in the field of gas production in a region facing energy shortages.
The project covers an extensive area of 8,400 square kilometers in the South Gobi desert, located less than 50 kilometers from the Chinese border and near key gas infrastructure in China.
The Gurvantes XXXV field, located in an area with large coal reserves, has significant contingent resources of 1.2 trillion cubic feet and a potential of 5.3 trillion cubic feet of gas.
To date, TMK has drilled seven production wells in its pilot project Lucky Fox and is steadily increasing production rates.
With current pressure readings and gas bubble activity, TMK seems close to achieving commercial success.
If the pressure trends continue, the next stage in the history of Gurvantes XXXV could lead to the transformation of this coal basin into a full-fledged gas province.
Tatar S.Maidar
source: MiddleAsianNews
