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China Surfactant Detergent & Cosmetics ›› 2025, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (6): 687-699.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2097-2806.2025.06.002

• Invited paper • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Advances in desorption-enhancing mechanisms for coalbed methane desorption agents

Hongsheng Lu1,*(),Yang Yang1,Yang Wu1,Xiangyang Yan2,Bo Lin2   

  1. 1. College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610500, China
    2. Sichuan Shenhe New Material Technology Co., Ltd., Chengdu, Sichuan 610500, China
  • Received:2025-04-04 Revised:2025-05-24 Online:2025-06-22 Published:2025-07-01
  • Contact: E-mail: hshlu@163.com.

Abstract:

Coalbed methane (CBM), as an important unconventional natural gas resource, plays a significant role in optimizing energy structures and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this review, the research progress and challenges for technologies of desorption agents in CBM development are systematically reviewed, focusing on various mechanisms including physical displacement, chemical competitive adsorption, wettability modification, and thermodynamic synergy. The literature survey has shown that physical displacement agents can enhance the desorption efficiency of methane by occupying the adsorption sites on coal matrices through competitive adsorption. Chemical agents such as surfactants can optimize pore fluid distribution and reduce capillary resistance by regulating gas-liquid-solid interfacial interactions. Wettability modification techniques can weaken methane-coal bonding strength by altering the hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity of coal. Additionally, thermodynamic synergy can systematically improve desorption kinetics through dynamic evolution among temperature field, pressure field, and pore structure evolution. However, challenges such as the heterogeneity of coalbed, the long-term retention risk of chemical agents, and the lack of clarity of the action mechanism of working fluid on coal under reservoir conditions still restrict technological development. To promote green and precision CBM development, future studies should prioritize constructing multiphysics coupling models, developing intelligent responsive materials, and integrating CO2 sequestration with methane recovery technologies.

Key words: coalbed methane, desorption mechanism, desorption agent, physical displacement, competitive adsorption, wettability modification, multifactorial coupling, green development

CLC Number: 

  • TE37