Evaluation of the Coalbed Methane Potential by a GIS-Based Fuzzy AHP Model

Coal bed methane (CBM) potential evaluation is important for choosing the prospective target area for CBM exploration and production. Many unwise evaluations may have induced the high failure ratio of CBM exploration and development in China. Developing a comprehensive model for CBM potential evaluation is also complicated by the diverse geologic and engineering factors. In this paper, a fuzzy analytic hierarchy (AHP) model for CBM evaluation is proposed, capable of tracking the uncertainty and imprecision and solving the multiple-criteria decision-making problems. The model is applied to evaluate the CBM potential of the eastern parts of Ordos basin. The results indicated that the fuzzy AHP evaluation system is suggested to be a good tool for evaluating CBM potential.