Michael S. Blinderman - Underground Coal Gasification and Combustion

First Edition

Michael S. Blinderman

Alexander Y. Klimenko

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ISBN: 978-0-08-100313-8 (print)

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M.S. Blinderman Ergo Exergy Technology Inc., Montreal, QC, Canada

A. Blinderman Ergo Exergy Technology Inc., Montreal, QC, Canada

H. Bockhorn Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Engler-Bunte-Institute, Karlsruhe, Germany

D.W. Camp Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States

E.V. Dvornikova Ergo Exergy Technology Inc., Montreal, QC, Canada

J.I. Gerhard University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

G.P. Gruber Black & Veatch Corp., Kansas City, KS, United States

K. Kapusta Gwny Instytut Grnictwa (Central Mining Institute), Katowice, Poland

L.L. Kinsman University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

A.Y. Klimenko The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

S. Lavis University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom

S. Maev Laurus Energy Inc., Edmonton, AB, Canada

G.V. Orlov Ergo Exergy Technologies Inc., Montreal, QC, Canada

S. Pershad Eskom Research, Testing & Development, Johannesburg, South Africa

J. Pistorius Eskom Research, Testing & Development, Johannesburg, South Africa

B.V. Reddy University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, ON, Canada

A. Reva Ergo Exergy Technology Inc., Montreal, QC, Canada

M.A. Rosen University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, ON, Canada

Ivan M. Saptikov Ergo Exergy Technologies Inc., Montreal, QC, Canada

V. Sarhosis Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

D. Saulov The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

S.J. Self University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, ON, Canada

A. Taskaev Ergo Exergy Technology Inc., Montreal, QC, Canada

J.L. Torero The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

M. van der Riet Eskom Research, Testing & Development, Johannesburg, South Africa

A. Veeraragavan The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

L. Walker Phoenix Energy Ltd., Melbourne, VIC, Australia

L. Yermn The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Ergo Exergy Technology Inc., Montreal, QC, Canada
The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Abstract

The salient features of underground coal gasification (UCG) technology can help to meet the main challenges facing the global energy market in the age of growing consumption and climate change. The history of UCG development is instructive in designing a pathway to successful commercialization of the technology. This book is the first attempt to summarize UCG development results in the last 40 years. It reviews the technical, environmental, regulatory, and commercial challenges of UCG. The studies of underground combustion of coal are related to UCG in many aspects, specifically in testing and monitoring methods, numerical modeling, and interaction with groundwater and rock deformation. This introduction examines conceptual approaches forming the foundation of UCG technology and briefly reviews the contents of specific chapters.

Keywords

Underground coal gasification; Underground coal combustion; Clean coal; GHG emissions; Energy security

Acknowledgments

The editors would like to express their appreciation and gratitude to the Elsevier Publishing for all the support given to the editors and the authors of this book on UCG and combustion.

1.1 Coal and future of energy consumption

Global consumption of energy and hydrocarbons shows steady growth. The trend is sustained and prominent, displaying no signs of slowing down. The reasons seem obviousthe same processes are driving growth in consumption of food, water, and other necessities of human existence:

Growth of the Earth's population, most pronounced in developing countries

Growing life standards, again, most prominent in developing countries

The graph in ).

Fig. 1.1 Global population growth projections ().

The graph in supports a clear conclusion that increases in the world energy consumption are driven predominantly by growth of both population and life standards in developing countries.