Geomechanics of Coal Seams explores the evolving role of coal, transitioning from a historically criticized energy source tied to the Industrial Revolution, to a material with the potential to play a significant role in achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Traditionally used as raw material, coal now serves as a reservoir for natural gas or carbon dioxide storage, offering a path toward reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. Despite its promise, challenges remain, particularly regarding its geomechanical behavior. This book delves into the unique properties of coal, covering everything from geological foundations to numerical modeling. Aimed at students, researchers, and engineers, the book provides valuable insights applicable to other microporous materials.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Why a Book on the "Geomechanics of Coal Seams"? xi Jean-Michel PEREIRA and Matthieu VANDAMME Chapter 1. Coal, Its Genesis, Its Characteristics 1 Didier BONIJOLY 1.1. Definition 1 1.2. Deposition conditions 4 1.3. The major periods of coal deposition 5 1.4. Coalification process 9 1.5. Coal classification 11 1.6. Coal gas 13 1.7. Coal availability, resources and reserves 18 1.8. The uses of coal 26 1.9. Coal gas exploitation 30 1.10. Coal and climate change 37 1.11. Acknowledgments 46 1.12. References 47 Chapter 2. Hydrogeology of Fractured Media -- With Special Reference to Coalbeds 51 Derek ELSWORTH, Jishan LIU, Shimin LIU, Brandon SCHWARTZ and Shugang WANG 2.1. Introduction 51 2.2. Controls on groundwater flow 52 2.3. Characterization methods 59 2.4. Permeability evolution models 67 2.5. Summary 80 2.6. References 81 Chapter 3. Measurement of Coal Physical Properties: Poromechanical and Adsorption Testing 85 D. Nicolas ESPINOZA 3.1. Introduction 85 3.2. Pressure, stress and strains in geological formations 86 3.3. Total gas-in-place and adsorption measurement 90 3.4. Adsorption-induced strains 99 3.5. Adsorption-induced stresses 106 3.6. Reservoir scale implications 109 3.7. Conclusions 111 3.8. References 112 Chapter 4. Poromechanical Modeling of Coal Material 117 Matthieu VANDAMME, Jean-Michel PEREIRA and David GRÉGOIRE 4.1. Relevant scale for material modeling 119 4.2. Physics of the phenomena involved 121 4.3. Classical poromechanical modeling of a saturated material in the absence of sorption 132 4.4. Poromechanical modeling of microporous materials undergoing sorption 136 4.5. Examples of possible model enhancements 145 4.6. Limitations and perspectives of the models 157 4.7. References 160 Chapter 5. Molecular Scale Modeling of Coal and Its Behavior 165 Laurent BROCHARD, Christelle MIQUEU and David GRÉGOIRE 5.1. Introduction 165 5.2. Nature of coal at the molecular scale 169 5.3. Atomic simulations of adsorption in coals 173 5.4. Adsorption modeling using DFT 182 5.5. Mechanics-adsorption coupling 189 5.6. Conclusion 203 5.7. References 205 Chapter 6. Reservoir-Scale Modeling 211 Patrick DANGLA 6.1. Introduction 211 6.2. Isothermal constitutive laws of coal in the presence of adsorbates 212 6.3. Reservoir scale field equations 225 6.4. Numerical solution via the finite element method 229 6.5. Application examples 234 6.6. Conclusion 239 6.7. References 241 Chapter 7. Multiscale Modeling 243 François BERTRAND and Frédéric COLLIN 7.1. Introduction 243 7.2. Principles of the FE2 method 245 7.3. Hydro-mechanical model 249 7.4. Application 261 7.5. Conclusion 271 7.6. References 272 List of Authors 277 Index 279