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Journal ArticleDOI

Coal seam gas and associated water: a review paper

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discussed the production size of coal seam gas worldwide and the future of the industry and discussed the impact of the coal bed seam gas industry's by-products on the environment, the freshwater ecosystem and human health.
Abstract: Coalbed methane (CBM) or coal seam gas (CSG) as it is known in Australia is becoming an increasingly important source of energy around the world. Many countries such as United States, Canada, Australia and China are investing in the CSG industry. A rise in the cost of conventional natural gas and many other energy resources, along with a decline in these conventional resources and issues such as climate change have encouraged a global interest in alternative sources of energy like CSG. The estimated quantity of CSG worldwide is around 1.4×1014 m3, it is clear that coal seam gas is a significant source of energy. The first section of this paper will discuss the production size of CSG worldwide and the future of the industry. The usage of the coal bed seam for the sequestration of CO2 is also an added benefit. The reduction of CO2 released to the environment may help in the future mitigation of global warming. In addition, the re-injecting of the co-produced CO2 enhances the commercial recovery and production of CSG wells. In the second section, the impact of the CSG industry's by-products on the environment, the freshwater ecosystem and human health are analysed. The second section includes issues associated with the large volume of co-produced water with undesirable composition in the CSG industry. The management of this enormous amount of water requires cost effective technologies and methods. Many methods for dealing with water problems are discussed and analysed in this paper.
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
09 Jul 2020
TL;DR: A comprehensive review of studies on electrodialysis applications in wastewater treatment, outlining the current status and the future prospect is presented, showing that zero or minimal liquid discharge approaches can be techno-economically affordable and competitive.
Abstract: This paper presents a comprehensive review of studies on electrodialysis (ED) applications in wastewater treatment, outlining the current status and the future prospect. ED is a membrane process of separation under the action of an electric field, where ions are selectively transported across ion-exchange membranes. ED of both conventional or unconventional fashion has been tested to treat several waste or spent aqueous solutions, including effluents from various industrial processes, municipal wastewater or salt water treatment plants, and animal farms. Properties such as selectivity, high separation efficiency, and chemical-free treatment make ED methods adequate for desalination and other treatments with significant environmental benefits. ED technologies can be used in operations of concentration, dilution, desalination, regeneration, and valorisation to reclaim wastewater and recover water and/or other products, e.g., heavy metal ions, salts, acids/bases, nutrients, and organics, or electrical energy. Intense research activity has been directed towards developing enhanced or novel systems, showing that zero or minimal liquid discharge approaches can be techno-economically affordable and competitive. Despite few real plants having been installed, recent developments are opening new routes for the large-scale use of ED techniques in a plethora of treatment processes for wastewater.

177 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the role of government policy has played in promoting anaerobic digestion (AD) use and driving its growth in five developed nations studied; Australia, Denmark, Germany, the UK and USA.
Abstract: Anaerobic digestion (AD) of biomass has become a common technology used in many European nations and is receiving increased attention in other nations. The chief attraction of AD is it generates renewable energy. Yet it also manages and treats organic waste, recycles key nutrients to soil, and can create local jobs; making AD an attractive technology to governments. In this paper we review the role government policy has played in promoting AD use and driving its growth in five developed nations studied; Australia, Denmark, Germany, the UK and USA. These nations were chosen for review as they provide a breadth of AD use with the number of AD plants in the aforementioned nations totaling 78, 114, 9545, 265, and 1497. This review looks to demonstrate and discuss policy mechanisms introduced by each nation that has helped drive AD use, and identify areas where policy can help overcome enduring challenges that face the AD industry. Focused discussion is given to waste management, climate change and energy security policies, and to financial incentives made available to AD installations. Analysis shows that the impact of performance based incentives targeted at small-medium capacity AD plants, less than 500 kW, have a significant positive correlation with the growth of AD use in the UK and Germany. The relatively new AD industry faces a number of barriers, which are also discussed, but with the help of supportive government policy for the technology, that considers the wide-ranging benefits of AD across government portfolios; investors will be more likely to show interest in the developing AD industry.

159 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors review membrane filtration processes used in the gas and oil production for wastewater treatment, with focus on microfiltration, nanofiltration, ultra-filtration and reverse osmosis.
Abstract: More than 88 billion barrels of wastewater are produced yearly in the world from gas and oil production. Given the rising demand for drinkable water, there is a need for advanced purification processes. Here we review membrane filtration processes used in the gas and oil production for wastewater treatment, with focus on microfiltration, nanofiltration, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, forward osmosis, membrane distillation, and electrodialysis.

132 citations


Cites background from "Coal seam gas and associated water:..."

  • ...Coal seam gas also called “coal bed methane,” or “coal bed natural gas” comprising generally 95–97% methane, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and inert gases in saline water or existing freely inside the natural cracks and openings of the coal has appeared as an essential unconventional natural gas source and cleaner energy substitute than conventional fossil fuels (Azizi et al. 2017; Birol 2011; Cook 2013; Hamawand et al. 2013; Jackson and Reddy 2007; Mesbah et al. 2017; Plumlee et al. 2014; Soroush et al. 2017)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore how consent-based and justice-based forms of social contract provide an ethical framework for the way coal seam gas companies and communities interact and explore the ethical aspects of these disagreements.

116 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A tailor-made membrane in an appropriate module that can be used in upstream and downstream processes during algal-based biofuels production has the potential of low-cost and eco-friendly separation, purification and concentration enrichment of biodiesel as well as other valuable algal by-products which can bring the high degree of process intensification for scale-up at the industrial stage.

114 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, it is shown that the micropores are where most methane adsorption occurs in coal seams, and the methane molecule may actually stretch, minutely, the pore and thus with de-gassing of the reservoir, could result in matrix shrinkage, allowing opening of the fracture (cleat) system in the coal and thus enhancing permeability.

1,160 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the storage of captured CO2 in coal seams has been studied and the potential storage capacity, the storage integrity of the geologic host, and the chemical and physical processes initiated by the deep underground injection of CO2.
Abstract: This article reviews the storage of captured CO2 in coal seams. Other geologic formations, such as depleted petroleum reservoirs, deep saline aquifers and others have received considerable attention as sites for sequestering CO2. This review focuses on geologic sequestration of CO2 in unmineable coalbeds as the geologic host. Key issues for geologic sequestration include potential storage capacity, the storage integrity of the geologic host, and the chemical and physical processes initiated by the deep underground injection of CO2. The review topics include (i) the estimated CO2 storage capacity of coal, along with the estimated amount and composition of coalbed gas; (ii) an evaluation of the coal seam properties relevant to CO2 sequestration, such as density, surface area, porosity, diffusion, permeability, transport, rank, adsorption/desorption, shrinkage/swelling, and thermochemical reactions; and (iii) a treatment of how coalbed methane (CBM) recovery and CO2-enhanced coalbed methane (ECBM) recovery a...

880 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the state of the art on water and CO2 sorption on coal seams is reviewed and compared using manometric, volumetric and gravimetric methods.

652 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In coal mines, coal gas emissions have resulted in outbursts and explosions where ignited by open lights, smoking or improper use of black blasting powder, and machinery operations as mentioned in this paper.

337 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors focus on the geochemical signature of coalbed aquifers associated with coalbed methane and find that sulfate/bicarbonate-rich waters are more likely to be associated with conventional oil and gas.
Abstract: Formation waters associated with coalbed methane have a common chemical character that can be an exploration tool, regardless of formation lithology or age. Effectively devoid of sulfate, calcium, and magnesium, the waters contain primarily sodium and bicarbonate and, where influenced by water of marine association, also contain chloride. The distinct geochemical signature evolves through the processes of biochemical reduction of sulfate, enrichment of bicarbonate, and precipitation of calcium and magnesium. Cation exchange with clays may also deplete the dissolved calcium and magnesium, but is not prerequisite. Low sulfate/bicarbonate ratios characterize these waters and are also common but less pronounced with occurrences of conventional oil and gas. Waters rich in sulfate, calcium, and magnesium occur in many coalbed aquifers but are not found in association with methane. Users of total dissolved solids data should ensure that the values reflect adjustments of bicarbonate concentrations to simulate evaporation residues. Results that erroneously sum the entire bicarbonate content can be far too high in these bicarbonate-rich waters, thereby exacerbating the issues of disposal. Evaluations of prospects and choices of exploration targets can be enhanced by an added focus on the geochemical signature that should be expected in association with methane. Knowledge of the geochemical signature may also be useful in the commonly protracted testing of wells. The appearance of high sulfate concentrations in water analyses can justify early curtailment of test pumping and can prompt the siting of subsequent drill holes farther from areas of recharge.

207 citations