Prospect for Coal-Bed Methane (CBM) Resource Development in Nigeria: A Review
Wilfred Chinedu Okologume1, Victor Iyanu Oluwafemi2 & BourdelonUmeleuma Marcus3
1Department of Petroleum Engineering, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State
2Department of Mining Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State
3Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Rivers State
Corresponding Author: Wilfred Chinedu Okologume
Email: okologume.wilfred@fupre.edu.ng
ABSRACT
Nigeria is endowed with many natural resources, some of which are yet to be fully utilized. Amongst the many natural resources found in the country is coal, which also has the potential of being a source of methane; commonly referred to as coal-bed methane. Coal-bed methane is a form of natural gas extracted from coal beds. Natural gas, which is predominantly methane, is fast becoming an essential source of today’s energy demand. Coal-bed methane (CBM) will not replace other fossil fuels in Nigeria but it will be burned in addition to the oil, coal and gas that have already been discovered to complement them. Hence, this study has presented several reported developed methods used to extract coal-bed methane, an attempts a recommendation of her application in Nigeria. Three methods of extracting coal-bed methane were examined in this study; which is pre-coal mining also known as Coal Seam Gas (CSG), Underground coal mining and Underground Gasification of Coal (UGC). The method recommended is the CSG method; the CSG distinctions have been noted over the other means of extracting methane from coal. The quality of methane that CSG method provides and the availability of the technological requirement make it more applicable to Nigeria coal deposits.
Keywords: coal-bed methane, coal seam gas (CSG), gasification, mining, fossil fuels, oil and gas.
