Structural control on gas content distribution in eastern margin of Ordos basin

In view of different gas content distribution in different areas of the eastern edge of Ordos basin, structural control on coal seam gas content in Sanjiao-Liulin, Daning-Jixian and Hancheng was investigated by analyzing their structures and main coal seam gas content distributions. The results show that Yanshanian tectonic movement is the key tectonic event of the entire eastern edge of Ordos basin. Structural control on coal seam gas content in this region is shown mainly in coal seam occurrence, while the location, distribution and nature of tectonic have controlled coal metamorphism and coalbed methane storage conditions. Local monocline is the only favorable area of gas occurrence in Sanjiao-Liulin. Daning-Jixian shows better tectonic conditions, thereby is considered as the key area of coalbed methane exploration and exploitation. The eastern coal mining area of Hancheng presents poor gas occurrence. The tectonic framework of northern compression and southern stretching results in high gas content in the north and and low gas content in the south.