Teaching Methane Layering and Drainage For Students

METHANE LAYERING AND
METHANE DRAINAGE
Book Reference:
1. Sub Surface Ventilation and
Environmental Engineering by
Malcom J. McPherson, Chapter 12:
Methane
2. Best Practice Guidance for Effective
Methane Drainage and Use in Coal
Mines by Economic Commission for
Europe, ECE Energy Series No.31
Methane is a lighter gas with specific
gravity of 0.554.
Hence, methane emitted into
underground coal mine atmosphere
tends to stratify in the form of
horizontal layers near roof level.
This phenomenon is called METHANE
LAYERING .
The buoyancy of methane with
respect to air (specific gravity 0.554)
produces a tendency for
concentrated methane to collect in
roof cavities and to layer along the
roofs of airways or working faces.
In level and ascentionally ventilated
airways with inadequate airflow, the
layer will stream along the roof in the
direction of airflow, increasing in
thickness and decreasing in
concentration as it proceeds.
In a descentionally ventilated airway,
the buoyant methane layer may stream
uphill close to the roof and against the
direction of the airflow.
However, at the fringe between gas
and air, viscous drag and eddy action
will cause the gas/air mixture to turn
in the same direction as the airflow.
The result is that explosive mixtures
may be drawn down into the airway
upstream from points of emission.
Parameters that affect Methane Layering
are:
1. Velocity of the ventilating airstream,
u (m/s)
2. Rate of gas emission, qg (m3 /s)
3. Width of airway W (m)
4. Inclination of airway
5. Relative densities of the air and gas
6. Roughness of the roof above the
layer.
There are two main hazards
associated with methane layers –
First, they extend greatly the

zones within which ignitions of
the gas can occur.
Secondly, when such an ignition
has taken place, a methane layer
acts very effectively as a fuse along
which the flame can propagate
Methane emitted from the strata into a
mine opening will often be at
concentrations in excess of 90 %.
While being diluted down to safe general

body concentrations, the methane will,
inevitably, pass through the 5 to 15 percent
range during which time it is explosive.
It is, therefore, important that the time
and space in which the explosive mixture
exists are kept as small as possible. This
can be achieved by good mixing of the
methane and air at the points of
emission.
The solutions are to –
(a) increase the airflow and, hence,
the air velocities through the
affected panel, thus dilute
methane influx by ventilation, or
(b) reduce the rate of methane
emission by Methane Drainage,
(c) or a combination of the two.
Methane Drainage
Experience in industrialised countries
shows that investment in good gas
drainage practices results in less mine
downtime due to gassy mine conditions,
safer mining environments, and the
opportunity to utilise more gas and
reduce mine methane emissions.
Methane drainage methods are
conventionally classified as involving
either pre‐drainage or post-drainage
techniques.
Pre‐drainage involves removing methane
from the seam to be worked in advance of
mining, while post‐drainage involves
capturing methane and other gases
released from surrounding seams as a
consequence of the strata movement,
relaxation, and increased permeability
induced by mining.
• Pre‐drainage using vertical surface boreholes
• Pre‐drainage using horizontal in‐seam boreholes
• Pre‐drainage using surface to in‐seam directional
drilling
• Post‐drainage using cross-measure Boreholes
• Post‐drainage using surface goaf Boreholes
• Post‐drainage using directionally drilled
horizontal long holes above or below the worked
seam.
• Post‐drainage from underlying or overlying
galleries
• Post‐drainage using surface to in‐seam
directional drilling
• Post‐drainage from chambers or pipes in
longwall Goaves
• Post‐drainage from cross‐cuts into the longwall
goaf (variant of the above method)
Methane Drainage
The purpose of methane drainage is to
capture high‐purity gas at its source
before it can enter mine airways.
Methane Drainage
Methane can be extracted in

organized manner scientifically from
coal seams (Coal Bed Methane) or
from carbonaceous strata (commonly
known as Shale Gas).
The extraction of methane or Methane
Drainage is practiced in order to –
(a)Produce a gaseous fuel, a substitute to
Natural Gas, called Coal Bed Methane.
(b) Reduce methane emissions into mine
workings or
(c) Combination of the two.
Schematic of Pre‐Mine Drainage from Lateral Wells Drilled from the Surface
Coal Bed Methane (CBM) is a form of
natural gas extracted from coal beds.
The term refers to methane adsorbed
into the solid matrix of the coal.
Methane adsorbs to the surfaces of
matrix pores within the coal and natural
fractures, or cleats.
Production of Coal Bed Methane from
coal requires decreasing the pore
pressure below the coal’s desorption
pressure so that methane will desorb
from surfaces, diffuse through the coal
matrix and become free gas.
Coal seams are typically saturated with
water. Consequently, the coal must be
dewatered for efficient gas production.
Dewatering reduces the hydrostatic
pressure and promotes gas desorption
from coal.
Coal bed methane extraction
involves pumping large volumes of
water out of coal seams from surface
boreholes to reduce the hydrostatic
pressure and liberate the gas.
Because the diffusivity and permeability
of the coal matrix are ultralow, coal must
have an extensive cleat system to ensure
adequate permeability and flow of
methane to wellbores at economic
production rates.
Hydro-fracturing may be carried out, as
shown in figure above, to open fractures
in order to induce gas flow.
Coal seams with no water (dry coal) have
been discovered and commercially
exploited. In these reservoirs, the
adsorbed gas is held in place by free gas
in the cleats. Consequently, gas
production consists of both free gas from
the cleat system and desorbed gas from
the matrix.
Methane drainage from Longwall
Panel goaves by surface boreholes.
The relaxation of strata above and below
the caved zone in a longwall panel
creates voidage within which methane
can accumulate at high concentration,
particularly when other coal beds exist
within those strata.
If this gas is not removed, then it will
migrate towards the working horizon
and become a load on the ventilation
system of the mine
Figure above depicts methane drainage
from the goaf of a longwall panel by
surface boreholes.
Typically, three or four holes are drilled
from surface rigs at intervals of 500 to
600 m along the centreline of the panel
and ahead of the coal face. The holes
may be 200 to 250 mm in diameter and
drilled to within some 8 to 10 m of the
top of the coal seam
Cross-measures methane drainage
(Methane drainage from working
underground Longwall panels)
Where the depth of coal workings
precludes the drilling of methane
drainage holes from surface,
the extraction of methane from relaxed
strata can be accomplished by drilling
from underground airways.
Boreholes are drilled into the roof and, if
necessary, also the floor strata. The holes
are normally drilled parallel to the plane
of the coal face but inclined over or
under the waste.
This is the dominant method of
methane drainage in Europe and is
particularly applicable to advancing
longwall panels.
Drainage from worked-out areas
In order to reduce pollution of a current
ventilation system, methane drainage
pipes can be inserted through stoppings
and gas drained from the old workings.
The pipes should extend beyond the
stoppings to a point that is not affected
by air penetration during a period of
rising barometer.
Gas drainage can also be practiced when
a gassy mine is abandoned. Again, pipes
are left in the seals on mine entries
(shafts, inclines or adits). This type of
drainage may prevent seepages of
methane escaping to the surface and,
possibly, creating a hazard in the
basements of buildings on surface.
Drainage pipes that are vented to the
surface atmosphere should be elevated
above ground level, well fenced against
unauthorised approach and provided
with notices giving warning of
inflammable gas.
However, as methane is a “greenhouse
gas” discharging it to the surface
atmosphere should be discouraged.
FURTHER READING
Coal Bed Methane Primer

U.S. Department of Energy,
National Petroleum Technology
Office,
Montana Board of Oil and Gas
Conservation

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METHANE LAYERING AND

First, they extend greatly the

While being diluted down to safe general

Methane can be extracted in

Coal Bed Methane Primer

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