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Coal-bed Methane (CBM) drainage - From Underground Coal Mines:

By: Partha Das Sharma
A. Introduction –
The primary energy source of natural gas is a substance called methane (CH4). Coal bed methane(CBM) is simply methane found in coal seams. CBM is
generated either from a biological process as a result of microbial action or from a thermal process as a result of increasing heat withdepth of the coal. Often a coal
seam is saturated with water, with methane is held in the coal bywater pressure. CBM as a source of clean natural gas has immense potential. Methane gas
isfound trapped in fissures in coal and extraction reduces explosion hazards in mines, therebyreducing safety risks for miners. Coal-bed
methane (CBM) - deleterious to the environment whenreleased to the atmosphere - is actually a remarkably clean fuel when burned. Methane gas when burnt as
fuel gives zero emission, whereas when released into the atmosphere its global warming potential is 21 times that of carbon dioxide. Coal mining contributes an
estimated 10 percent of total methane emissions from human activities.Thus, coal mine methane, a byproduct of mining operations, can be recovered to provide
varioustypes of benefits to a mining company. The benefits include, (a) reduced ventilation costs,downtime costs, and production costs; and (b) the ability to use the
recovered gas as an energysource, either at or near the mine site or by injecting it into a commercial gas pipeline system.

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Coal-bed Methane (CBM) Drainage
system is degasification system to extract much of thecoal-bed methane from coal seams before or during mining. There are many variables that play a part in the
decision to implement a coal mine methane drainage project. Mining companies canemploy basic decision-making logic to determine the feasibility of draining
and/or using methaneat specific coal mines.Over the past few decades, emissions of methane from coal mines have increased significantly because of higher
productivity, greater comminution of the coal product, and the trend towardsrecovery from deeper coal seams. Under current coal mine regulations of many
countries,methane must be controlled at the working faces and at other points in the mine layout. This hastraditionally been performed using a well-designed
ventilation system. However, this task is becoming more difficult to achieve economically in modern coal mines. In addition, scientistshave established that
methane released to the atmosphere is a major greenhouse gas, second onlyto carbon dioxide in its contribution to potential global warming. In
order to improve mine safetyand decrease downtime as a result of methane in the mine openings, many mines are now using adegasification system to
extract much of the coal-bed methane from their seams before or duringmining.Methane drainage offers the added advantages of (a) reducing the ventilation costs,
(b) reducingthe development costs of the mine, (c) reducing the global warming threat, and (d) allowing awaste product to be productively utilized.This
byproduct can be gathered to produce three levels of benefits to a mining company,depending on the market potential of the methane. The benefit levels are as
follows:(1) The methane is gathered from the coal seam to reduce ventilation costs, downtime costs, production costs, and shaft development costs or to benefit
from increased coal resources. All of these benefits are achieved internal to the mining operation and can be easily analyzed by themining company.(2) The coal-
bed methane is extracted from the seams to be mined and is utilized as a local energyresource to heat buildings, dry coal output from the coal preparation facility,
generate electrical power, power vehicles by compressing the gas, or other local uses.

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(3) The extracted methane can be upgraded, if necessary, or immediately compressed andintroduced into a commercial gas pipeline system. This may provide the
highest possible benefitto the mining company providing that the methane is of high quality and the mine location is near a gas pipeline. With this option, the value
of the methane as an energy resource may be very largeand it can make a significant contribution to profits.However, in the process of coal-bed methane
extraction, water from the coal bed is first pumpedout and since the water is usually rich in sodium, its salinity makes it unfit for irrigation or drinking purposes.
Therefore, waste-water disposal from coal-bed methane system needs to takecare in order not to adversely affect the local water table or stunt plant growth. Unless
it is dilutedsufficiently with normal water, saline content will be far too high to use as normal irrigation.USA and Canada have been exploring methane obtained
from coal beds (CBM) since the early1970s and 1980s, respectively. Production of coal-bed methane for domestic energy needs hasgrown significantly in USA.
Other coal-producing countries like Australia, China, Russia,Germany, Great Britain, Poland, etc. including India too have paid attention to the exploration of this
new resource and have initiated several research programmes on different aspects of coal-bedmethane.
B. Methane degasification methods –
With the increasing coal production and depth of coal mines, traditional ventilation methods arenot always the most economical methods of handling methane in
the coal seam. Degasificationsystems have been developed that recover the gas before, during, or after mining. Thedegasification methods, coupled with mine
ventilation, may be the most economical method of keeping methane concentrations low in many mines.Degasification methods that have been used in the U.S.
include vertical wells, gob wells,horizontal boreholes, and cross-measure boreholes.

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