Conclusions on CBM Potential of Ardley Coal Zone

The number of coal seams in the Ardley Coal Zone of the area ranges from 12 to 20. The maximum concentration of coal seams is along an east-west direction within the central area of Township 46. Total cumulative coal thickness ranges between 10 m and 19 m. The areas with the thickest coal define a wide coal belt roughly covering Township 46 in a west-southwest—east-northeast direction.

The cumulative coal isopach map (Figure 8: Total cumulative coal (m) of the Ardley Coal Zone) correlates well with the number of coal seams (Figure 9: Number of Ardley coal seams), which defines the area of interest to the central-northern part of the study area. The areas with thick cumulative coal are those areas that were the longest (measured over time) and the farthest away from fluvial clastic sources during the time of sedimentation of the Ardley Coal Zone. Because the gas content is strongly correlated to coal thickness, these areas also have the potentially highest gas content per square kilometre. These areas, with gas content of up to 85 million cubic metres of methane per square kilometre, could be good locations for test sites for both primary and enhanced CBM production.