Development and Testing of Sorption Isotherm Equipment for Nigerian Coal

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate the methane content in Nigerian coal. Study Design: Fabrication of Sorption Isotherm Equipment and Experimental Analysis. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Petroleum and Gas Engineering, University of Port Harcourt Rivers State, between June, 2014 and January, 2015. Methodology: This study includes the Fabrication of Isotherm Adsorption Equipment, Methane Sorption test, Proximate Analysis, Ultimate Analysis, and Estimation of Methane Content. Results: The maximum moisture and fixed carbon was found in Sample D with moisture content of 3.35%, fixed carbon content of 60.41%; and it also has the minimum ash content of 5.61%. The maximum volatile matter was found in Sample B with volatile matter of 33.57%. The estimated methane content from the Meissner’s method differs from those obtained from the adsorption Isotherm equipment by 22%. Conclusion: The adsorption isotherm models obtained, showed that the total organic carbon content is not a significant factor in the adsorptive and dispersive behaviors exhibited by the shale samples. It was also observed that pressure plays a major role in the adsorption process of methane gas from the coal samples.