ZIMBABWE’S COAL-BED METHANE POTENTIAL

By O.J. Maponga 11/04/2014

INTRODUCTION• Until the late 1980s,

Southern Africa was one ofthe most overlooked areasfor gas deposits.

• Geological investigationscarried out over the Karoobasins during the first postindependence decaderevealed untapped coal-bed gas resources in theseareas.

• The revelation triggered aCBM hive of activity oneither side of the country’sgeographic water-shed,but with more emphasison Mid ZambeziBasin(Fig.1).

Fig.1

INTRODUCTION (cont)

• Results from the ongoing exploration activities continue to support the high level of potential for coal-bed methane gas production in Zimbabwe.

MAIN PLAYERS

• Among the initial pack were:ØShangani Energy Exploration (SEE)ØDiscovery Invesments(DI) ØHwange Colliery Company Limited(HCCL)ØApfenØTrotterØZambezi Gas(ZG)

CO-ORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES

• Government formed Lupane Gas Development Company (Pvt) Limited as vehicle to handle all matters relating to CBM development in Zimbabwe.

• The Lupgas project was defined in terms of three platforms:ØPolicy and regulatory frame work in relation to gas

extraction ( relevant taskforce to meet regularly)ØResearch support mechanism (Geo. Surv., IMR, SIRDC)ØTechnical Committee.

MOZAMBIQUE

HWANGE LUBIMBI

LUPANEGWAYI

Fig.2

ZIMBABWE’S CBM LOCATIONS TODATE

Hwange AreaØEntuba (Hwange Colliery & Zambezi Gas)ØLuseche (Shangani Energy Exploration)ØHwange Concession (HCCL)

Lupane – GwayiØLupane (Shangani Energy Exploration)ØHalfway House (Shangani Energy Exploration)ØLubimbi (Hwange Colliery & Shangani Energy Exp)ØSengwa (Rio Tinto)

Hwange

Bulawayo

Lupane

50 km SEE

Production GrantExploration Grant

GwaaiRiver

LUPANE ISG 1731 – Shnagani Energy – C-5 Well

SG 1806 LUSECHE-SG 1806 C-6 Well (835m) Shangani Energy

LUPANE IISG 1729- Seismic surveysCoal @ 1000m

LUBIMBI ISG 2060 –

(South of Kana Fault)

GWAYI SG 1312C-4 Well

ENTUBASG 2084 Zambezi

Gas

CBM

LOCATIONS

Western, HRC Areas/Sinamatilla LUBIMBI II - (North of Kana

Fault)

- Shangani Energy Test Well- Zambezi Gas Test Well

Fig.3

Fig.4

HWANGE REDUCED CONCESSION (HRC)

ZIMBABWE’S CBM ATTRIBUTES

a) Depth of CBM Intersections• Hwange AreaØEntuba – 501mØLuseche -835mØHwange Reduced Concession -250m

• Lupane AreaØSpecial Grant 1729 – 1000m

• Lubimbi AreaØ Hwange 03/04 (LC91) – 453m

No Sample tromp A91 gas testNo Sample tromp B91 gas testNo Sample tromp C91 gas test

No Sample tromp D91 gas test

No Sample tromp F91 gas test

No Sample tromp G& H91 gas test

No Sample tromp H91 gas test

No Sample tromp L91 gas test

No Sample tromp K91 gas test

DEPTH(m)453.60

508.06

514.34

487.70488.22

LUBIMBI BOREHOLE-LC91

BIRA

FO

RMAT

ION

CARB MST&BANDED COAL

CARB MST

CARB MST

CARB MST

CARB MST

CARB MST

CARB MST

CARB MST & COAL

CARB MST

CARB MST-Carbonaceous Mudstone

CARB MST & COAL

LH SST

LH SST –Lower Hwange Sandstone

SYMBOLFig.5

BH007204Depth (m) SYMBOL % Ash

0 ndndndndndndndndndnd

475.21 71.080.483.470.265.455.938.956.272.461.269.670.352.871.973.872.575.974.071.665.634.052.679.0

499.62 83.724.219.831.628.624.417.3

503.21 15.416.516.915.712.718.515.013.513.911.7

9.814.1

8.9509.64 28.1

OVERBURDEN

CARBONACEOUSMUDSTONE

HWANGE POWER STATION COAL (HPS)

Gas intersections

ENTUBA-BH007204

HWANGE COKING COAL (HCC)

Fig.6

Depth vs Gas Content (cont)

Fig.7

ZIMBABWE CBM ATTRIBUTES (cont)

b)Permeability• Is a measure of how fast and how much CBM can

move through the coal mass and is a majordetermining factor in CBM production success.

• The Zambezi Basin has been described as a halfgraben structure (Orpen etal 1989).

• This has produced tensional forces that enhancecreation of open fractures in subsurface strata.These fractures that have been observed directlyin cores and underground workings enhance gaspermeability in targeted areas.

c) Ash Levels vs Gas Content Fig.8

d)Coal Rank vs Gas Potential

Fig.9

CBM AND SUBTERRANEAN WATER

• In all area the CBM has been intersected, there have been copious amounts of underground water associated with the gas.

• The water has attracted both domestic and wild animals as well as aquatic life (Entuba).

• Small linear green vegetation patches have developed in these areas, as a result of flows and surface seepage of the water ex-CBM drillholes.

INDICATED GAS RESOURCE TODATECBM gas resource has been estimated at Gwayi,Luseche, Lupane and Hwange. The estimatedfigures are as follows in cubic metres of the gas:ØHwange Concession (half of area) : 150 000 000ØLuseche (one third of SG 1806 ) : 175 000 000ØGwayi ( three quarters of SG 1312): 54 000 000ØLupane (one third of SG 1731) : 436 000 000

• The gas resource quantity at Lubimbi is stillclassified as “proprietary information” and couldnot be disclosed by Discovery Investment at thetime of preparation of this document.

POTENTIAL USES OF CBM IN ZIMBABWE

• Direct power generation – the countrycurrently imports huge quantities of powerfrom neighbouring states (Mozambique, SouthAfrica, DRC)

• Co-firing – combining the gas with the highash coals in thermal power generation (e.g.the “carbonaceous mudstones currentlydiscarded at Hwange Colliery could be turnedinto a thermal coal reserve)

POTENTIAL USES OF CBM IN ZIMBABWE (cont)

• CBM is a form of natural gas can be a chemicalfeedstock for production of, explosives,polythene, fertilizer and many otherpetrochemical industries. The country’s fertilizerplant at Kwe Kwe, in particular, is threatened dueto its requirement of large amount of electricpower.

• In compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquidnatural gas (LNG) which could replace importeddiesel and petrol transport and the nation’sagricultural fleet.

POTENTIAL USES OF CBM (cont)

• The large volumes of water produced togetherwith CBM could turn the otherwise aridregions of the western Zimbabwe into greenbelts and provide water for livestock.

CONCLUSION

• Zimbabwean Karoo basins have a goodpotential for CBM.

• Judging from gas estimated for a relativelysmall portion of the basin, the Zambezi Basinalone could be home to very huge deposits ofthe gas that will contribute significantly tonation’s energy needs.

• The CBM is intrinsically linked to the provenresources of quality coal at both mineable andsub-mineable depths.

• The indicated gas resources could justify

CONCLUSION (cont)• The wide array of CBM uses and savings on the

foreign printed dollar makes the CBM “a resourcelying like a flower bed in Zimbabwe’s Karoobasins, ready to blossom forth with acontribution of clean energy to brighten Africa’sfuture” (Tromp).

• CBM, being a pure natural gas that requires littleprocessing, is the cleanest form of fossil fuel.

• Large volumes of produced water could creategreen belts, providing employment and water forlivestock in dry areas of western Zimbabwe.

THE END and

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