Construct a Paleo-Limnological Environment Based on Coal Petrography; Case Study, Two Selected Coal Seams, North Crowsnest Open-Pit Mine, Canada

The Crowsnest coalfield is a separated structural coalfield at the East Kootenay basin within southeast British Columbia. Selected Jurassic-Cretaceous two coals seam S-10 and S-C of the Mist-Mountain formation were investigated from the points of coal petrography to construct a Paleo-limnological setting. Twenty-two channel coal samples were assembled and measured from S-10 and S-C coal seams. Vitrinite reflectance measuring of the S-10 coal concern to low-volatile bituminous (1.61, on average). While the vitrinite reflectance measurements of S-C coal seam show an average value of 0.98 related to high-volatile bituminous. Petrographic analysis demonstrates that the S-10 coal seam appears to be rich in inertinite than the S-C coal seam that appears rich in vitrinite. Applying coal facies indices of Tissue Preservation Index, Gelification Index, Ground Water Index Vegetation Index and coal facies diagrams for the studied coal seams aid to suggest a condition of the depositional Paleo-environments. The results promote Paleo-depositional sites of telmatic to limno-telmatic setting of rheotropic systems swamp. The obtained results show a trend of increase in both herbaceous flora and anoxic waterlogged limo-telmatic setting toward the younger coal seam S-C than the older S-10 coal seam.

Petrographic Composition of the Coal Within the Benue Trough, Nigeria, With a Consideration of the Paleodepositional Setting

The petrographic composition of coals hosted in the Benue Trough, Nigeria are presented and discussed in terms of paleodepositional setting that influenced the coal-bearing formations. The Benue Trough is a failed arm of the triple ‘RRr’ junction of an inland sedimentary basin that extends in a NE-SW direction from the Gulf of Guinea in the south, to the Chad Basin in the north. A total of twenty-nine (29) coal samples were obtained from 19 coal localities in the Upper (UBT), Middle (MBT), and Lower Benue Trough (LBT). The proximate data indicates the coal samples have a high volatile matter content, low ash yield, and high calorific value (24.82 MJ/Kg, on average). The sulphur values are generally low (average of 0.94 %). The coal samples are generally high in vitrinite, with an average of 59.3% by volume (mineral-matter free). Variation was noted in the inertinite content for the three sub-region samples. Liptinite macerals were not commonly observed in the studied samples and are absent in the MBT samples. The MBT coal samples reported a higher gelification index than the UBT and the LBT samples. Comparison of the array of coal facies models show the MBT samples are different from the UBT and LBT samples, concurring with the characterisation data. In view of the modified equations and the plots used, interpreting depositional environment accurately from just a single model is quite challenging.

Coal petrology analysis and implications in depositional environments from upper Cretaceous to Miocene: a study case in the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia

The Piedemonte Llanero Basin is located on the eastern side of the Eastern Cordillera of the Colombian Andes. It has been the subject of numerous geological studies carried out for the oil sector, mainly. This study presents the coal-petrographical features of 15 coal seams of four geological formations from Late Cretaceous to Middle Miocene (Chipaque formation, Palmichal group, Arcillas del Limbo formation, and San Fernando formation). Analysis of 33 samples indicates enrichment in vitrinite, while liptinite and inertinite concentrations vary according to the stratigraphic position. Reflectance indicates that the coal range gradually decreases from highly volatile bituminous C (Chipaque formation) to subbituminous C (San Fernando formation). The microlithotypes with the highest concentrations are clarite and vitrinertoliptite. Maceral composition and coal facies indicate changes in the depositional conditions of the sequence. The precursor peat from Late Cretaceous to Late Paleocene accumulated under limnic conditions followed by telmatic in Late Eocene–Early Miocene. The coal facies indices show wet conditions in forest swamps with variations in the flooding surface, influxes of brackish water and good tissue preservation. The tectonic conditions along the Piedemonte Llanero basin is evident, from post-rift to foreland basin, evidenced by oxic and anoxic periods reflected in the maceral composition and its morphology. The coal environment corresponds to an estuarine system started in the Chipaque formation evolving to the lacustrine conditions in the San Fernando formation.

Coal petrology analysis and implications in depositional environments from Upper Cretaceous to Miocene: a study case in the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia

The Piedemonte Llanero basin is located on the eastern side of the Eastern Cordillera of the Colombian Andes. It has been the subject of numerous geological studies carried out for the oil sector, mainly. This study presents the coal-petrographical features of 15 coal seams of four geological formations from Late Cretaceous to Middle Miocene (Chipaque Formation, Palmichal Group, Arcillas del Limbo Formation, and San Fernando Formation). Analysis of 33 samples indicates enrichment in vitrinite, while liptinite and inertinite concentrations vary according to the stratigraphic position. Reflectance indicates that the coal range gradually decreases from highly volatile bituminous C (Chipaque Formation) to subbituminous C (San Fernando Formation). The microlithotypes with the highest concentrations are clarite and vitrinertoliptite.Maceral composition and coal facies indicate changes in the depositional conditions of the sequence. The precursor peat from Late Cretaceous to Late Paleocene accumulated under limnic conditions followed by telmatic in Late Eocene- Early Miocene. The coal facies indices show wet conditions in forest swamps with variations in the flooding surface, influxes of brackish water and good tissue preservation. The tectonic conditions along the Piedemonte Llanero basin is evident, from post-rift to foreland basin, evidenced by oxic and anoxic periods reflected in the maceral composition and its morphology. The coal environment corresponds to an estuarine system started in the Chipaque Formation evolving to the lacustrine conditions in the San Fernando Formation.

Pore-Fractures of Coalbed Methane Reservoir Restricted by Coal Facies in Sangjiang-Muling Coal-Bearing Basins, Northeast China

The pore-fractures network plays a key role in coalbed methane (CBM) accumulation and production, while the impacts of coal facies on the pore-fractures network performance are still poorly understood. In this work, the research on the pore-fracture occurrence of 38 collected coals from Sangjiang-Muling coal-bearing basins with multiple techniques, including mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), micro-organic quantitative analysis, and optic microscopy, and its variation controlling of coal face were studied. The MIP curves of 38 selected coals, indicating pore structures, were subdivided into three typical types, including type I of predominant micropores, type Ⅱ of predominant micropores and macropores with good connectivity, and type Ⅲ of predominant micropores and macropores with poor connectivity. For coal facies, three various coal facies were distinguished, including lake shore coastal wet forest swamp, the upper delta plain wet forest swamp, tidal flat wet forest swamp using Q-cluster analysis and tissue preservation index–gelification index (TPI-GI), and wood index–groundwater influence index (WI-GWI). The results show a positive relationship between tissue preservation index (TPI), wood index (WI), and mesopores (102 nm–103 nm), and a negative relationship between TPI, WI, and macropores/fractures. In addition, groundwater level fluctuations can control the development of type C and D fractures, and the frequency of type C and D fractures show an ascending trend with increasing groundwater index (GWI), which may be caused by the mineral hydration of the coal. Finally, from the perspective of the pore-fractures occurrence in CBM reservoirs, the wet forest swamp of upper delta plain is considered to be the optimization areas for Sangjiang-Muling coal-bearing basins by a comparative study of various coal facies.

Macerals Analysis Seam M2 Muaraenim Formation, : Implication Toward Coal Facies and Coal Rank in Kendi Hill, South Sumatra

The Muaraenim Formation is a coal bearing formation in South Sumatra Basin of the Late Miocene – Pliocene. Shell (1978) divides this formation based on coal seam content are: M1, M2, M3, and M4. Coal seam in this area include in seam M2 member, with the general characteristics of the presence of silicified coal on the roof and floor of coal seams as a marker. The administration of the research area is located in east Kendi Hill, South Sumatra. The Kendi Hill is composed of adesite igneous rocks that intruded Muaraenim Formation in unconformity at the time of Pleistocene. This study aims to determine the environment of coal depositional based on maceral analysis and determine the factors influence the physical characteristics of coal seams in Kendi Hill. Data that has been obtained from the field, then conducted a selection process. The number of samples analyzed were nine sample based on near and far to the Kendi Hill spread from the southern, central, and northern of the location. The result of the analysis will display the maceral diagram. Megascopically, coal seam in the Kendi Hill are black, dull with bright, uneven – subchoncoidal, blackish brown in streak, have a pyrite and resin. The thickness of the coal seams ranges from 0,45 to 14 meters. Based on the maceral analysis, the coal seam in the Muaraenim Formation is composed dominated by vitrinite, then liptinite, inertinite and mineral matter pyrite (1,6-6,6%). Vitrinite reflectance of coal in the research area ranges from (0,37-0,48%) that included to the Sub bituminous – High Volatile Bituminous C. From the results of Tissue Preservation Index and Gelification Index value indicated that the environment of coal depositional in the research area was a limnic to wet forest swamp. Whereas the deposition of the Muaraenim Formation in deltaic environment (Transitional lower delta plain).