Mines Gas Utilisation
To maintain a safe working environment underground it is necessary to ventilate and drain mines gas from the coal face. Drained gas (known as firedamp) mainly comprises the flammable and explosive gas methane. This gas, correctly extracted and pre-treated can be used as a clean fuel to provide heat and power.
In most deep mining applications around the world where methane gas is released, it is common practice to simply vent the methane to atmosphere. Venting methane direct to atmosphere adversely affects the environment as methane is a powerful greenhouse gas.
A dedicated team of Engineers have developed and implemented a multitude of key projects designed to maximise savings, generate revenue and significantly reduce coal mine greenhouse gas emissions. This has been done through utilisation of firedamp which has previously been considered a by product, or mining waste.
Sixteen generators are installed across 5 deep mine sites. These embedded generating sets are fuelled exclusively on mines gas. All of the electricity generated is used at UK COAL sites representing a substantial energy cost saving.
Eight flare stacks have been installed to combust excess mines gas which cannot be fed to the generating sets. Using flare stacks in this type of application and on this scale is not practiced by any other organisation in the world.
We have been active in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme. All of our mines gas projects reduce the quantity of methane which would have been vented to the atmosphere as a result of mining operations. The investment in engineering improvements and innovation in environmental mining technology have allowed us to reduce emissions and claim CO2 credits, which are traded on the UK market.