Dynamic gob response and reservoir properties for active longwall coal mines

Mining Engineering , 2014, Vol. 66, No. 12, pp. 41-48

Marts, J.A.; Gilmore, R.C.; Brune, J.F.; Bogin, Jr., G.E.; Grubb, J.W.; Saki, S.

ABSTRACT:
Reservoir properties including porosity and permeability distributions in longwall coal mine gobs have direct application to modeling the flow patterns and gas distributions in the gobs. Proper assessment of these distributions is required to assess gob gas hazards such as spontaneous combustion and explosive methane mixtures and to optimize gob gas venthole operation and nitrogen inertization. Determining the reservoir properties is difficult given that the gob is inaccessible and direct measurements cannot be easily taken. Several techniques had been used by previous researchers and will be discussed.  

  This paper will present the methodology used to model the gob compaction by simulating the sequential extraction of coal. Two Western US coal mines were used for case studies. By determining volumetric strain, the porosity and permeability distributions in the gob can be calculated. The geo-mechanical model predicts an axisymmetric volumetric strain distribution with a steeper slope near the start-up room and a shallower slope near the active face.