Coal seams in the southern half of Alberta contain a maximum of more than 500 tcf of gas in place, but it is uncertain how much of that can be recovered, the Alberta Geological Survey said.
Two reports the survey released have concluded that regional coal distribution and average gas in place concentrations are well established in the province.
One report noted that water quality in wells completed in shallow coal, mixed coal-sandstone, and sandstone aquifers in Alberta generally meet Canadian water quality guidelines. It added that some individual chemicals in ground water from coal may exceed drinking water guidelines that would limit the re-use of produced water from shallow CBM reservoirs.
At least one producing company has reported producing CBM without water in Alberta.
Exploitation of gas from coal seams is at a relatively early stage in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin compared with US basins. Volumes in Canada that could be recovered cannot be estimated even taking present technology and economic conditions into account, the survey said.
