Evaluation model of shale-adsorbed gas considering clay and water saturation

Abstract

Shale adsorption capacity is affected by many factors including temperature, pressure, geochemical characteristics of organic matter, clay, and water saturation. The traditional calculation model of adsorbed gas content only considers the influence of temperature, pressure, and organic geochemical characteristics. The influence of clay and water saturation on adsorption capacity is seldom considered. Isotherm adsorption experiments were conducted on synthetic specimens and natural specimens with varying clay types, clay contents, and water saturations. Then, the influences of clay and water saturation on the adsorption capacity were systematically studied. The experimental results found that the order of clay adsorption capacities was smectite > kaolinite > chlorite > illite. The multicomponent superposition rule was applicable in evaluating shale-adsorbed gas content. The total adsorption capacity was equal to the accumulation of the adsorption capacities of all types of clay and organic matter. Moisture will significantly reduce the adsorption capacity of shale. The adsorption capacities of synthetic specimens and natural specimens after being fully saturated with water were 9%–14% and 42%–61% of those in dry states, respectively. Then, a new shale-adsorbed gas evaluation model was established based on the Langmuir equation considering clay and water saturation. The calculation error of this new model was approximately 11%, which provides a new method for evaluating the adsorbed gas content of shale.