OREANDA-NEWS. On December 24, 2007 Krasnodonugol Mining Company launched performance testing of a container gas disposal facility KGUU-5/8 at Mologvardeyskaya Mine. The trial belongs to methane degassing and disposal project carried out by Krasnodonugol at Mologvardeyskaya together with Eko-Alyans, reported the press-centre of Krasnodonugol.

The project will modernize and expand the underground degassing facility at the mine to enhance gas pump-out from coal beds and improve safety. In addition it will create an efficient disposal system to cut methane emissions and step up its use for purposes of Krasnodonugol.

Krasnodonugol is going to have underground degassing facility modernized and a disposal system created by 2009. The amount of project expenses including already-provided investments will exceed UAH 11m.

The mine has almost finished construction of a major underground methane pipeline. All local pipelines carrying gas from underground degassing wells will be connected to it. The scope of preliminary degassing of coal walls before their development will step up thus significantly cutting gas delivery during coal bed development and improving safety of miners. Also, activities to improve efficiency of surface degassing wells are in progress.

Reconstruction of mine degassing system will increase gas pump-out to surface from current 12-15 cu.m/min. to 53-57 cu.m/min in 2012.

Methane pumped to the surface will be disposed in two container gas-disposal facilities KGUU-5/8. Also, a gas pipeline from a vacuum-pump station of air shaft at Mologvardeyskaya Mine to coal enrichment plant Samsonovskaya is being designed. A project for a boiler plant to shift to methane operation is being developed.

The company is going to fund the project with own resources and funds raised through sale of green gas emission quotas. Eko-Alyans has developed the required documents and sent them to the Ministry of Environment Protection for approval.

“Modernizing degassing system has an integrated effect for us. Firstly, this will improve mine safety. We don’t need coal mined at expense of human lives. Also, methane disposal enables us to take advantage of Kyoto Protocol, to sell quotas and use these funds for further safety improvements at our coal enterprises”, said acting CEO of Krasnodonugol Aleksandr Potapenko.

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In 2007 Krasnodonugol has allocated over UAH 150m to improve industrial safety. The amount for appropriate activities will go noticeably up in 2008.

In 2006 Krasnodonugol mined 5,7m tons of coking coal that makes almost 19% of the total coking coal production in Ukraine.

Information for journalists:
Krasnodonugol is one of the biggest coal companies in Ukraine the produces and enriches coking coal of "Ж" and "К" grades. It consists of seven mines and colliery administrations, two enrichment plans, and service divisions. The company employs 20,000 people. Avdeyevka Coke and Chemical Plant owns over 99% of Krasnodonugol.