Deformation Degree Estimate for Coal Seam using Well Logs as Input: A Case Study

The presence of tectonic deformed coal (TDC) is a prerequisite for coal-and-gas outburst. With a higher degree of TDC deformation, there is a greater possibility of coal-and-gas outbursts. The estimate of deformation degree for coal seam is critically important for mining safety. In this study, we focus on the No. 8 coal seam of Luling coalmine to identify and estimate its deformation degree using well logs, multiscale wavelet analysis, cluster analysis, and ternary diagrams. Since the original well logs contain noise, we first perform denoising with multi-scale wavelet analysis and produce their large-scale and medium-scale output components. Then, we classify the No. 8 coal seam into different sub lithological seams with cluster analysis using the large-scale and medium-scale components as inputs. The classified sub lithological seams include the undeformed coal, the cataclastic coal, the granulated coal, the mylonitized coal, and the gangue. Finally, we group the study area into four regions based on degree of deformation with ternary diagrams using classified sub seam thickness as input. The regions with III and IV deformation degrees are mostly composed of highly deformed TDCs and are prone to coal-and-gas outburst. [Figure: see text]