The possibility of developing methane-coal deposits in the Korotaikha depression of the Pechora basin

The Pechora coal basin is considered to be one of the promising targets for the extraction of unconventional hydrocarbon raw materials – coalbed methane. Korotaikha depression is a structural subdivision of two basins – the Timano-Pechora oil and gas basin and Pechora coal basin. Currently, there is a favorable situation for the development of coalbed methane resources: on the one hand, the construction of new coal enterprises is postponed indefinitely, on the other hand, oil producing companies come with technologies close to the technologies for self-extracting methane from coal seams.The issue of perspective methane-coal fields of the Korotaikha depression in the Pechora coal basin is considered in the article. Favorable conditions and significant (about 900 billion cubic meters) methane resources predetermine the prospects of this territory for its independent production. The geological characteristics of the fields are considered and their ranking is carried out taking into account the preliminary selection of the most promising methane-coal objects. Due to the different degree of exploration of fields and the lack of (complete or partial) necessary data, some of the geological indicators served as evaluation criteria, and the preliminary assessment carried out. The prospects of four fields for the experimental work on the methane extraction opportunities are justified

Geology and coal bearing capacity of the Russian Arctic in connection with prospects of development of the region

Detailed geologic information can be priceless for oil- and gas- oriented geologic exploration in Arctic aquatic basins. Exploration reports on coal basins and deposits located along the Arctic coast are highly detailed and can be used for reconstruction of facies and thermobaric conditions of the poorly explored offshore areas. The article summarizes information on the Russian Arctic coal basins geology: geological structure, tectonic settings, coalforming environments and coal quality parameters. Coal basins of the region contain not only brown and bituminous coals for energetics, but include valuable coking coal (Pechorskiy, Tungusskiy, Beringovskiy basins), anthracite, thermoanthracite and graphite (Taimyrskiy, Tungusskiy basins, Dolgozhdannoye deposit), related coal methane (Pechorskiy basin, coal deposits of Spitzbergen) and trace elements (Lenskiy basin, coal basins and deposits of Chukotka and Frantz Josef Land). It is also can be used for production of advanced materials (adsorbents, sunthetic graphites, etc)

Oil and gas potential of the Korotaikha Depression in the Timan-Pechora basin

Prospects for the growth of hydrocarbon (HC) reserves in the Timan-Pechora basin are associated with poorly explored areas, which include the Korotaikha Depression, which is a very difficult region for oil and gas exploration. Analysis and reinterpretation of both old and new seismic data made it possible to identify a number of anticlinal structures within the region, as well as to identify possible lithological HC traps, such as reefing bodies of late Devonian-Early Carboniferous age and delta sand formations of the Permian-Triassic age. The wide stratigraphic range of the sedimentary cover makes it possible to select several hydrocarbon systems in the basin of the Korotaikha Depression. Basin modeling has shown that there are all conditions for НС generation and accumulation in the Korotaikha Basin. Based on the results of the simulation, Korotaikha Basin should be considered as a potentially promising oil and gas area, where the main oil and gas accumulations are located in the side parts of the basin, and also within the inversion highs and saddles. The total booked geological resources of hydrocarbons may amount to about 1.7 billion tons standard fuel. Korotaikha Depression and its aquatorial continuation can be referred to the category of major oil-gas search regions