ABSTRACT

The British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources initiated this study of coalbed methane (CBM) in the Elk Valley, Crowsnest and Flathead coalfields of southeast British Columbia in response to industry interest. These coalfields are located in the front ranges of the Rocky Mountains and have been mined since the 19th century. Rock bursts, methane explosions and gas production have been a problem to the point of closing down some collieries.

The Jurassic-Cretaceous Kootenay Group contains the continental/deltaic coal-bearing sequences. The formation with the greatest CBM potential, the Mist Mountain, averages 500 m in thickness in southeast British Columbia, with 30 to 80 m of coal in the section. The coal ranges between low volatile and high volatile "A" bituminous in rank. The coalfields are defined by tight overturned to broad open folds complicated by thrust and normal or retrothrust faults. Previous geological studies have relied on surface outcrop and relatively shallow subsurface data; deeper basin control is sparse. This study extrapolates into the basins and predicts where CBM resources may occur.

Extensive research of commercial CBM basins has developed CBM content and producible CBM models that are used to quantify southeast British Columbia resources. The high gas content coal seams occur at depths of between 300 and 2000 m. The potentially producible CBM gas is estimated to be 140 to 500 Gm³ (5 to 18 TCF) in the Crowsnest coalfield and 80 to 200 Gm³ (3 to 7 TCF) in the Elk Valley coalfield, with nominal amounts in the Flathead coalfield, making a total of 220 to 700 Gm³ (8 to 25 TCF). Much of this resource occurs on lands with available petroleum and natural gas title.

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