Research on Coal Bed Methane (Gas) Occurrence Controlled by Geological Tectonics in the Southern Margin of North China Plate: A Case Study of the Pingdingshan Coalfield, China

Abstract

The geological structure is complex in the plate margin zone, and the occurrence of coal bed methane (CBM) is nonuniform with an obvious zoning phenomenon. It plays an important role to reveal the spatial distribution of CBM and its influence factors in plate margin zone for CBM exploitation and gas disaster prevention in coal mines. Based on the data of gas emission during mining, CBM content, and gas pressure in the Pingdingshan Coalfield, lying on the south edge of North China plate, the distribution characteristics of CBM and its influence factors using theories of CBM (gas) geology and statistical analysis method are investigated. The research area is divided into four CBM occurrence belts. There are its own CBM occurrence feature and control structural type in each CBM belt. Likou syncline is the structure that controls the overall distribution of CBM. NW-trending fold-fault belt, Guodishan fault, and Jiaxian fault are the structures that control the CBM occurrence in CBM belt IV, CBM belt II, and CBM belt I, respectively. And the difference in structural types is the main factor of CBM zoning.