Numerical investigation of the potential contamination of a shallow aquifer in producing coalbed methane

This paper presents a study on the impact of well integrity failure on coalbed methane (also known as coal seam gas) production and potential shallow water contamination using numerical simulations with a finite-difference method. Two connection types and 12 cases were simulated: Type A – leakage through cement sheath and Type B – impaired zonal isolation at the aquifer interval. The effect of the distance between the aquifer and the coal seam, drainage area and desorption time on gas and water production was also inspected. Results show that both connection types have strong effects on the gas and water production; the cumulative water and gas production increases with increasing drainage radius; the distance between aquifer and the coal seam has a negative effect on the water production but a negligible effect on the gas production; desorption time, ranging from 5 to 30 days, has a negligible effect on the water and gas production. Connection Type A yields a potential water contamination but connection Type B does not. Gas concentration in the shallow aquifer decreases sharply with an increase of distance away from the producer and the unsafe area are within an area with a radius ranging from approximately 50 m to 90 m away from the producer in this study.