CO2 Sequestration via Adsorption in Thermally Treated Coal Seams

Robert L. Krumm and Milind Deo
University of Utah

Underground Coal Thermal Treatment (UCTT) is a technology being investigated at the University of Utah as a means of producing light hydrocarbons by heating unmineable coal seams. Using the groundwork put forth by Enhanced Coal Bed Methane (ECBM) research, it was hypothesized that thermally treated coal seams could serve as a long term repository for anthropogenic carbon dioxide. It was also proposed that the thermally treated coal would have adsorptive properties somewhere between a fresh coal and an activated carbon. The increased adsorptive capacity of the treated coal should result in sequestration capacities greater than ECBM counterparts.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90169©2013 AAPG Rocky Mountain Section 62^nd Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, September 22-24, 2013