I'm need CURRENT research on Coal Methane Wells.
1) How many wells are in the USA?  In the world?
2) What is the typical size of a well?  How many gallons of water is used?
3) What are the typical water problems (such as brine)
4) How much water do the wells use per day?  How much waste water is produced?

Hello Andy,

I am posting this as a comment since I was not able to answer all your
questions.

“Although there are many potential problems with methane development,
most revolve around water: both quantity and quality. The average well
pumps more than 17,000 gallons of water per day to release the
methane. That multiplies out to 6.2 million gallons of water per year
for one well.”

(..)

“So what do you do with this pumped-out water? There are basically
three options available: discharge it into existing drainages; put it
in holding ponds and let it evaporate or seep into the ground; or
re-inject it into the aquifer. The problem with the first two options
is that CBM water is very saline and contains elevated levels of
fluoride, ammonia, sulfate, and other elements. If it is discharged
into existing drainages, it will pose problems for aquatic life.
Further, because that water will be used by area farmers and ranchers
for irrigation, the salinity and sodium absorption ratio of the water
can cause problems with crop yield.”

Montana Environmental Information Center
http://www.meic.org/coalbedmethane.html


Coal Bed Methane - Frequently Asked Questions
What are the current management practices with the CBM product water?
http://waterquality.montana.edu/docs/methane/cbmfaq.shtml#What%20are%20the%20current%20management%20practices%20with%20the%20CBM%20product%20water?

--Bobbie7-ga

Hi, andyatl2003-ga:

I've found some information on coalbed methane wells, esp. in the USA,
to supplement the facts provided by bobbie7-ga:

[Enviromental Issues and Challenges in Coal Bed Methane Production]
http://ipec.utulsa.edu/Ipec/Conf/fisher_92.pdf

"COAL BED METHANE PRODUCTION AND
DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNITED STATES

"The initial focus of CBM development in the United States was the
Black Warrior basin in Alabama. This focus shifted in the late 1980s
and early 1990s to the San Juan Basin in New Mexico and Colorado. In
1995, approximately 94% of CBM production in the United States was
from the San Juan Basin and the Black Warrior Basin.  Today, although
New Mexico, Colorado, and Alabama still account for 90% of CBM
production, the focus of CBM development is the Powder River Basin in
Wyoming and Montana.  At present, there are approximately 3,000 CBM
wells in the Wyoming portion of the Powder River Basin, but planners
forecast a staggering number of new wells; under what is described as
a moderate scenario, a total of 81,000 CBM wells are projected for
Wyoming, with 50,000 of these to be drilled by 2010.  Based on recent
proposals by operators, about 9,500 CBM wells will be drilled in the
Montana portion of the Powder River Basin by 2010. These projected
90,500 new CBM wells in the Powder River Basin would constitute a 29%
increase from the 307,449 producing gas and gas condensate wells
operated in the United States in 1999.  CBM is also produced in
Oklahoma, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania."

Judging by the references cited the above paper would seem to have
been written in the second half of 2001.

A historical BLM perspective on coalbed methane production in the
Colorado portion of the San Juan Basin, focussing largely on emerging
environment problems and remediation, is given here:

[COALBED METHANE DEVELOPMENT IN THE NORTHERN SAN JUAN BASIN OF
COLORADO]
http://oil-gas.state.co.us/blm_sjb.htm

Some specific figures tracking the growth of coalbed methane
production in Virginia from 1993 through 2001 are available here:

[VA: Coalbed Methane Production by County and Company (1000s of Cu.
Ft.)]
http://www.energy.vt.edu/vept/gas/production/cbm.html

[VA: Number of Coalbed Methand Wells by County and Company]
http://www.energy.vt.edu/vept/gas/production/wells_CBM.html

A description of the coalbed methane production in Alabama (and
downloadable related CSV data zipfile) is here:

[1999 Alabama Coalbed Methane Assessment]
http://www.gsa.state.al.us/gsa/CBM%20assessment/CBMA_Web_page/CBMAWebPage.htm

where it seemed that production had reached a steady state then of
about 110 billion cu. ft. annually from 20 coalbed methane fields
mapped here:

[Alabama Coalbed Methane Fields]
http://www.gsa.state.al.us/gsa/CBM%20assessment/Web%20page%20graphics/CBMfields.JPG

This year old story on the Powder River Basin in Wyoming cites a
figure of 8,000 coalbed methane wells:

[Gas drillers tap coal beds]
http://www.usatoday.com/money/energy/2002-07-05-methane.htm

That story reflects some growing unease and contention about the
environmental impact of these wells, as your question certainly
reflects.

The EPA has a Coalbed Methane Outreach Program:

http://www.epa.gov/coalbed/intl/index.htm

which includes a FAQ relating, among other things, coalbed methane
amounts produced to coal mine methane releases (methane released
incidental to coal mining).  They also have this internationl page:

http://www.epa.gov/coalbed/intl/index.htm

with links to information about coalbed methane production in other
countries.

Much current research on improving the enviromental impact and
efficacy of methane production centers on the injection of
carbon-dioxide (possibly obtained by burning of methane) into the
wellheads.  See here for an Australian presentation on this subject:

[Coal-bed Methane and Carbon Dioxide Mitigation: A Closed Cycle]
http://www.chem.eng.usyd.edu.au/events/poster_2000/present3/ppframe.htm

regards, mathtalk-ga