| 20100230096 | PROCESS TO INCREASE THE AREA OF MICROBIAL STIMULATION IN METHANE GAS RECOVERY IN A MULTI SEAM COAL BED/METHANE DEWATERING AND DEPRESSURIZING PRODUCTION SYSTEM THROUGH THE USE OF HORIZONTAL OR MULTILATERAL WELLS - A process to increase the area of microbial stimulation in a process of methane gas recovery in a multi seamed coal bed/methane dewatering and depressurizing production system by first utilizing an underbalanced multilateral drilling technique. At this point in the process one could introduce the microorganisms into the horizontal well bore to achieve a greater area of stimulation of the coal bed than would a vertical well. An even more preferred method would to first drill a series of lateral wells off of the horizontally drilled well bore, so as to increase or maximize the area of coal bed which is being covered. At that point, one would take the steps of what is known in the art of introducing a particular type of microorganism, such as the type disclosed in the '535 patent, which would then be injected via the plurality of lateral bores into the coal bed formation, to maximize the area of penetration, which would include, most, if not all, of the area of the coal bed through the series of lateral wells. After the microbes have been injected into the formation through the lateral wells, one would then undertake these further steps of completing the production steps involved in recovering any methane gas produced according to the process disclosed and claimed herein. The methane gas produced would flow into the series of lateral boreholes through the annulus between the drill string and the carrier string, and the principal borehole would bring it to surface, where the water would be separated from the methane gas to be collected. | 09-16-2010 |
