Laboratory investigation of coal characteristics from Tikak Parbat formation of North-East India for coal bed methane study

Abstract The increasing demand for cleaner source of energy forces India to explore various energy sources, and in this process, coal bed methane gas attracts lot of attention for its favourable characteristics including abundance of coal, clean gas, mitigation of greenhouse gases, reduction in hazard in mines, etc. However, the challenge faced during exploration and production varies from depth of seam, heterogeneity in coal characteristics, rank, sorption capacity, saturation, etc. So the detail analysis of various properties is important for economical extraction of gas. The present paper investigates coal properties and their influence on coal bed methane potentiality. Samples from core wells have been analysed in laboratory using proximate and ultimate analyser. Linear correlations between coal constituents and vitrinite reflectance as well as sorption capacity of coal have been established statistically. Mutual relations among proximate parameters are developed