Reconstruction of different scales of pore-fractures network of coal reservoir and its permeability prediction with Monte Carlo method

Abstract There are millimeter, micron and nanometer scales of pores and fractures in coal to describe different scales of coal pores and fissures communicating path and to quantitatively characterize their permeability. Such information provides an important basis for studying coalbed methane output mechanism. The pores and fissures in a large number of coal samples were observed and counted by scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy. The probability distribution models of pore-fissure network were then established. Different scales of pore-fissures 2D network models were reconstructed by Monte Carlo method. The 2D seepage models were obtained through assignment zero method and using Matlab software. The effect of permeability on different scale pore-fractures network was obtained by two-dimensional seepage equation. Predicted permeability is compared with the measured ones. The results showed that the dominant order of different scale pore-fractures connected path from high to low is millimeter-sized fractures, seepage pores and micron-size fractures. The contribution of coal reservoir permeability from large to small is millimeter-size fractures, micron-size fractures and seepage pores. Different parameters in different scale pore-fractures are of different influence permeability. Reconstruction of different scale pore-fractures network can clearly display the connectivity of pore-fractures, which can provide a basis for selecting migration path and studying gas flow pattern.