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Microstructure Evolution of Bituminous Coal Modified by High-Pressure CO2 Foam Fracturing Fluid with Different Treatment Times

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Abstract

The microstructure of bituminous coal can be changed significantly due to injection of CO2 foam fracturing fluid into the coal seam, affecting CBM production efficiency. To investigate the microstructural change characteristics of bituminous coal treated with high-pressure CO2 foam fracturing fluid at different treatment times (0–24 h), medium-rank bituminous coal was selected as the research object. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and low-temperature N2 adsorption tests were carried out to study the changes in mineral components, functional groups, micropore structure, respectively. It was found that the pore structure of bituminous coal can be changed by CO2 foam fracturing fluid. With increase in modification time, the proportion of macropore (> 50 nm) volume of bituminous coal increased gradually, while the proportion of pore (2–5 nm) volume showed a trend of “increase rapidly–decrease rapidly–decrease slowly.” When the modification time was within 6–24 h, the average pore size showed a quadratic polynomial positive correlation with treatment time, the seepage pore fractal dimension (D1) decreased linearly with increase in modification time, and the adsorption pore fractal dimension (D2) showed the opposite trend. Moreover, with increase in modification time, the infrared peak area of oxygen-containing functional groups and aromatic, aliphatic, and hydroxyl structures of bituminous coal showed a trend of “decrease rapidly–decrease slowly,” the aromaticity and degree of aromatic ring condensation showed “decreasing–increasing–decreasing” trends, and the aliphatic chain length and oxygen-containing functional groups fluctuated and increased. CO2 foam fracturing fluids significantly dissolve clay and carbonate minerals in bituminous coal. Coal microstructure can be changed by CO2 foam fracturing fluid through hydrocarbon extraction and transport, differential swelling, and mineral dissolution. The findings showed that 18–24 h was the optimal time range for fracturing fluid flowback after performing CO2 foam fracturing measurements. The research results are significant for selecting CO2 foam fracturing fluid flowback time and improving CBM recovery.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51774278, 52104228, and 52104233), the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of China (51925404), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2021M693409), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2021QN1090 and 2021QN1091), the Graduate Innovation Program of China University of Mining and Technology (2022WLKXJ024), and the Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (KYCX22_2654).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Safety Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu, China

    Yangfeng Zheng, Cheng Zhai, Aikun Chen, Yuzhou Cong, Wei Tang, Jizhao Xu, Xu Yu, Xinyu Zhu & Yujie Li

  2. Key Laboratory of Gas and Fire Control for Coal Mines, Ministry of Education, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu, China

    Yangfeng Zheng, Cheng Zhai, Aikun Chen, Yuzhou Cong, Wei Tang, Jizhao Xu, Xu Yu, Xinyu Zhu & Yujie Li

  3. National Engineering Research Center for Coal Gas Control, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu, China

    Yangfeng Zheng, Cheng Zhai, Aikun Chen, Yuzhou Cong, Wei Tang, Jizhao Xu, Xu Yu, Xinyu Zhu & Yujie Li

  4. School of Low-Carbon Energy and Power Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu, China

    Yong Sun

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  1. Yangfeng Zheng
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Zheng, Y., Zhai, C., Chen, A. et al. Microstructure Evolution of Bituminous Coal Modified by High-Pressure CO2 Foam Fracturing Fluid with Different Treatment Times. Nat Resour Res 32, 1319–1338 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11053-023-10179-3

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