In Situ Synchrotron X‐Ray Microtomography Observations of Fracture Network Evolution of Coal Due to Waterflooding

Water adsorption on coal plays a significant role in the process of CO 2 sequestration and enhanced coalbed methane recovery. Direct evidence of how coal adsorbs water and swells, affecting permeability, is still limited. Here, we studied the impact of waterflooding on fracture networks in coal by means of in situ synchrotron X‐ray microtomography combined with permeability measurements. We demonstrated that swelling‐induced fracture closure was...