<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Between 1997 and 2016 we observed important changes in hard coal extraction and methane emission in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. Hard coal extraction in the near future will be very dangerous because it will be necessary to reach deeper methane-rich coal seams. Permanent monitoring of the volume of emitted and captured methane is necessary to combat the methane hazard. The predictability of gaseous hazards are important in order to keep underground work safe. We gathered and analysed data from three coal companies: Katowice Coal Holding, the Coal Company, Jastrzębie Coal Company and in the whole of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin for the last twenty years and this allowed us to notice changes and CH4 trends in ventilation emission and demethanation. There is a decrease in the extraction of hard coal from year to year. At the same time there is an increase in the total methane emissions which forces actions aimed to effective contracting the methane hazard. Specifically, methane emission has been increasing for years, making hard coal extraction very dangerous. We observed increases in CH4 vent emission and volume of methane coming from underground drainage systems. Much more methane is released during hard coal extraction at deeper mine levels. Throughout the entire research period the methane hazard increased. Therefore, the development of modern technologies for methane capturing should contribute to improvement of hazardous conditions for coal mining in the basin.</abstract>

Between 1997 and 2016 we observed important changes in hard coal extraction and methane emission in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. Hard coal extraction in the near future will be very dangerous because it will be necessary to reach deeper methane-rich coal seams. Permanent monitoring of the volume of emitted and captured methane is necessary to combat the methane hazard. The predictability of gaseous hazards are important in order to keep underground work safe. We gathered and analysed data from three coal companies: Katowice Coal Holding, the Coal Company, Jastrzębie Coal Company and in the whole of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin for the last twenty years and this allowed us to notice changes and CH4 trends in ventilation emission and demethanation. There is a decrease in the extraction of hard coal from year to year. At the same time there is an increase in the total methane emissions which forces actions aimed to effective contracting the methane hazard. Specifically, methane emission has been increasing for years, making hard coal extraction very dangerous. We observed increases in CH4 vent emission and volume of methane coming from underground drainage systems. Much more methane is released during hard coal extraction at deeper mine levels. Throughout the entire research period the methane hazard increased. Therefore, the development of modern technologies for methane capturing should contribute to improvement of hazardous conditions for coal mining in the basin.

Methane emissions and demethanation of coal mines in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin between 1997 and 2016

Department of Applied Geology, Faculty of Earth Sciences

Environmental & Socio-economic Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Between 1997 and 2016 we observed important changes in hard coal extraction and methane emission in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. Hard coal extraction in the...

Methane emissions and demethanation of coal mines in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin between 1997 and 2016

Published Online: Mar 12, 2019

Page range: 12 - 23

Received: Aug 30, 2018

Accepted: Feb 11, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/environ-2019-0002

Keywords
hard coal extraction, methane emissions, demethanation, ventilation air methane, Upper Silesian Coal Basin

© 2019 Marcin Dreger et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Methane emissions and demethanation of coal mines in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin between 1997 and 2016

Published Online: Mar 12, 2019

Page range: 12 - 23

Received: Aug 30, 2018

Accepted: Feb 11, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/environ-2019-0002

Keywordshard coal extraction, methane emissions, demethanation, ventilation air methane, Upper Silesian Coal Basin

© 2019 Marcin Dreger et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
hard coal extraction, methane emissions, demethanation, ventilation air methane, Upper Silesian Coal Basin