COAL MINE GAS
Coal provides 25% of global primary energy needs and generates 40% of the world’s electricity. Coal mine gas is released at various stages of the mine’s life – prior to, during, or subsequent to coal mining activities. As a result, coal mine gas is categorised as– Coal Bed Methane (CBM), Coal Mine Methane (CMM) and Abandoned Mine Methane (AMM). Coal Mine Methane is often diluted and extracted in the form of low concentration Ventilation Air Methane (VAM).
Coal mine methane presents a powerful fuel source for power generation – electrical and heating power. These systems can be installed on-site to provide auxiliary heat and power to the mine or export to the grid. There are currently over 220 coal mine gas power generation projects utilising c. 4 billion cubic metres of methane every year (World Coal Association).
Our technology offers the utilisation of coal mine gas containing the full range of methane concentration, through its specifically developed coal mine gas generator and VAM Oxidation System.
| Coal Bed Methane (CBM) |
|---|
| Recovered from un-mined coal seams, including prior to mining taking place and from seams which are not to be mined |
| Drainage reduces methane emissions and the risk of explosion |
| CBM provides the highest quality methane, with concentrations exceeding 90% |
Coal mine methane is a serious safety hazard in coal mining operations. Coal mine degasification was originally developed to improve worker safety in coal mines, since explosive gas can form when methane mixes with air. Around the world, thousands of miners lose their lives each year in underground explosions, principally due to inadequate methane control.
Coal mine methane is also a powerful greenhouse gas (GHG), which is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO). Globally, methane accounts for 16% of all human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, half of which from coal mines (US EPA, 2006). These CO emissions are equivalent to such emitted by 60 million vehicles.
| Coal Mine Methane (CMM) |
|---|
| Recovered from working mines and arising from either mined coal seam releasing trapped methane or collapse of the surrounding rock strata after mining of the coal seam (‘gob gas’) |
| Released methane is often diluted to levels below the explosive range of 5-15% and evacuated through Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) systems. VAM has low methane concentration of below 5% |
| Gob gas can be extracted through pre-drilled vertical ‘gob’ wells. The has methane concentration levels in the range 30-80% |