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Lookup NU author(s): Emeritus Professor Mark ThomasORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2023 The Author. Published by American Chemical Society.Shale gas from unconventional resources will contribute to meeting the energy demand during the transition to a net-zero carbon economy. In this minireview, the current status of understanding methane adsorption on kerogens and shales is discussed in relation to methane storage capacity. Standard subcritical adsorption studies provide characterization data (micropore volumes, total pore volumes, surface areas, and pore size distributions) for the porous structures of shales and kerogens. However, supercritical methane adsorption measurements under simulated geological conditions are necessary to assess realistic methane adsorption storage capacities. Supercritical methane adsorption on shale and shale components (kerogens and clays) under high pressure and temperature conditions that simulated geological conditions is compared. Kerogen structural characteristics are discussed in relation to supercritical methane isotherms and isobars. The contribution of adsorbed methane gas relative to “free” or compressed gas to the total gas stored in shale is considered. The importance of kerogens in both storage of the adsorbed phase and as the source of methane is highlighted, and the areas where knowledge and understanding are deficient are identified, in particular, the relationship of kerogen type and maturity with supercritical methane adsorption under simulated geological conditions. The competitive adsorption of water on methane capacity is also an area where more detailed studies are necessary. These are challenges to address gaps in the current knowledge and understanding, which require future research.
Author(s): Thomas KM
Publication type: Review
Publication status: Published
Journal: Energy and Fuels
Year: 2022
Volume: 37
Issue: 4
Pages: 2569–2585
Print publication date: 16/02/2023
Online publication date: 02/02/2023
Acceptance date: 18/01/2023
ISSN (print): 0887-0624
ISSN (electronic): 1520-5029
Publisher: American Chemical Society
URL: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.2c03667
DOI: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.2c03667
