DIBRUGARH UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF

ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

DIBRUGARH UNIVERSITY

COAL CLEATS
Presented by

KUSUMBARJYOTI DEKA PE-202/19

MANAV JYOTI GONDHIA PE-204/19
NITUL BORO PE-213/19
SWARAJ POKHREL PE-229/19
ARF AMIM HUSSIAN PE-232/19
c  what is coal cleats.

o
 Importance of Coal Cleats.

 How are coal cleats formed & its charcterisation.

n  types of coal cleats

 vertical coal cleats

t  horizontal coal cleats

 cleat spacing

e  cleat connectivity

n
 coal seam thickness

 cleat orientation

t  CBM extraction method

 conclusion
 WHAT ARE COAL CLEATS?
 Coal cleats are natural fractures or cracks that occur in coal seams.
(Coal seam is a dark brown or black banded deposit of coal that is visible
within layers of rock.)

 These fractures can enhance the permeability of the coal seam, allowing for
the efficient extraction of CBM.

 CBM is a form of natural gas that is found in coal seams and can be extracted
using various methods, including drilling and hydraulic fracturing.

[ et al., published in the Energies journal in 2020.]

 IMPORTANCE OF COAL CLEATS?

o The importance of coal cleats in CBM extraction lies in their ability to increase the permeability of the coal seam,
allowing for more efficient gas extraction. (Without
these fractures, gas extraction from coal seams would be significantly more challenging and less economical.)

 Coal cleats can provide valuable geological information about the coal seam, which can help in developing
exploration and production strategies.

 The orientation, spacing, and distribution of coal cleats can indicate the depositional environment and geological
history of the coal seam. This information can be used to identify areas with high gas potential.

[ et al., published in the Energies journal in 2020.]

 HOW COAL CLEATS ARE FORMED & ITS
CHARACTERISATION?

 Coal cleats are formed through natural geological processes that occur during the formation of coal seams.
(These fractures can be either primary or secondary).

 Primary coal cleats are formed during the initial deposition of the organic material that eventually becomes coal.
These cleats are caused by the differential compaction of the material, resulting in vertical cracks that extend from
the top to the bottom of the coal seam.

 Secondary coal cleats, on the other hand, are formed after the initial deposition of the organic material. These
cleats are caused by tectonic activity, such as faulting or folding.

 Primary cleats tend to be more closely spaced than secondary cleats and are more persistent throughout the coal
seam whereas Secondary cleats tend to be less closely spaced than primary cleats and are often discontinuous or
irregular in shape.

[ et al., published in the Sustainable & Renewable energy journal in 2020.]

 TYPES OF COAL CLEATS

• There are two main types of coal cleats:

• Face cleats
• Butt cleats
[et al., published in the International Journal of Coal Geology in 2019]
[ X. Chen et al., published in the Energies journal in 2020.]
 VERTICAL COAL CLEATS

Face cleats
Vertical coal cleats run perpendicular to the bedding
planes of the coal

They are formed due to the tectonic stresses that occur

during the coalification process. [et al., published in the
Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering in 2018.]

Vertical cleats are important in the extraction of CBM

as they provide a pathway for the gas to flow through
the coal.[et al., published in the Energy & Fuels journal in
2017.]
 HORIZONTAL COAL CLEATS

 Butt cleats

 Horizontal coal cleats run parallel to the bedding planes of the coal

 They are formed due to the compaction of the coal during the
coalification process

 Horizontal cleats are not as important in the extraction of CBM as

they do not provide a direct pathway for the gas to flow through the
coal [et al., published in the International Journal of Coal Geology in 2019 ]
 CLEAT SPACING

 The spacing between cleats can vary depending on the type of coal
and the depth at which it is found

 The closer the cleats are together, the easier it is for the gas to flow
through the coal

 Cleat spacing is an important factor to consider when extracting

CBM as it affects the amount of gas that can be recovered.[ et al.,
published in the International Journal of Coal Geology in 2018.]
 CLEAT CONNECTIVITY

 Cleat connectivity refers to the degree to which the cleats are

interconnected

 Highly connected cleats allow for better gas flow through the coal

 Cleat connectivity is another important factor to consider when

extracting CBM as it affects the amount of gas that can be
recovered [ et al., published in the Journal of Cleaner Production in
2018.]
 COAL SEAM THICKNESS

 The thickness of the coal seam is also an important factor to

consider when extracting CBM

 Thicker coal seams typically have more cleats, which can increase
the amount of gas that can be recovered

 However, thicker coal seams may also have lower gas content,
which can affect the overall production[ et al., published in the
Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering in 2016.]
 CLEAT ORIENTATION

The orientation of the cleats can also affect gas production

Cleats that are parallel to the direction of gas flow can increase gas
production

Cleats that are perpendicular to the direction of gas flow can

decrease gas production.[ et al., published in the International Journal of
Coal Geology in 2018.]
CBM EXTRACTION METHODS

There are two main methods for extracting CBM: vertical and
horizontal drilling

Vertical drilling is typically used in shallow coal seams and relies

on the natural pressure of the coal bed to produce gas

Horizontal drilling is used in deeper coal seams and relies on

hydraulic fracturing to create artificial cleats and increase gas
production [ et al., published in the International Journal of Coal
Geology in 2015.]
 CONCLUSION

 Coal cleats are an important factor to consider when extracting CBM

 Vertical cleats are more important than horizontal cleats as they provide
a direct pathway for the gas to flow through the coal [ et al., published in
the Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering in 2016]

 Cleat spacing, connectivity, coal seam thickness, and cleat orientation are
also important factors to consider as they affect the amount of gas that
can be recovered from the coal bed. [et al., published in the International
Journal of Coal Geology in 2015 ]
 REFEREN
• CE
"The effect of coal cleats on permeability and methane drainage in coal seams" by K. Mingjie and Y.
L. Xie. (International Journal of Mining Science and Technology, 2017).
• "Coal cleat orientation and its effect on permeability" by P. Singh et al. (Journal of Natural Gas
Science and Engineering, 2016).
• "Relationships between cleat structure, permeability and gas flow in coal seams" by C. Chen et al.
(International Journal of Coal Geology, 2014).
• "Numerical modeling of coal cleat system and its impact on coal seam gas production" by Z. Li et al.
(International Journal of Mining Science and Technology, 2016).
• "Cleat-fracture network of coals: Implications for methane drainage and enhanced coalbed methane
recovery" by Y. Zhao et al. (International Journal of Coal Geology, 2019).
• "Coal cleat characterization using X-ray microtomography" by K. Elmo et al. (Fuel, 2019).
• "A review of the impact of coal cleat systems on coalbed methane production" by J. Wang et al.
(International Journal of Coal Geology, 2019).
• "The influence of cleat orientation and stress on permeability and gas adsorption of coal" by G. Qi et
al. (International Journal of Coal Geology, 2014).
Thank
You