The planning of extraction in highly methaniferous portions of the deposit should be preceded by a detailed forecast of the amount of methane emissions (i.e. the absolute methane content, the criterial methane content), and the calculation of the necessary efficiency of demethanation.

The absolute methane content determines the volumetric amount of methane emitted into the workings, and the amount of methane captured into the demethanation network per unit of time, while the criterial methane content is the value of the absolute methane content, at which under the given conditions of ventilation and demethanation, the permissible methane content of the exhaust air current will not be exceeded.

Already at the design stage, we assume such efficiency of demethanation with which the amount of methane emitted into a mine working would not pose a methane hazard to the employed crew, and would allow for safe mining of the deposit.

We have many years of experience in designing complete demethanation processes. During preparatory work, our employees collect samples which are later assayed in our laboratory, providing input for the development of an absolute methane content forecast. In further proceedings, a circle of specialists who possess data on the extraction of a particular part of the mine selects the appropriate demethanation system and the method of drilling drainage holes, and analyses the required expansion of the demethanation pipeline network.

The finished plan is a basis for the work of our demethanation units, and the engineering staff makes sure that appropriate adjustments are made whenever necessary, especially in the case of changes in the amount of methane emissions relative to the initial assumptions. Our entire team strives to achieve the highest possible values of demethanation efficiency, i.e. to increase the share of methane collected by our drainage holes to the pipeline system relative to the methane that remains in the ventilation duct.

In particular, we handle the preparation of:

• plans for the construction of facilities for the economic utilisation of methane, including in cogeneration systems,
• conceptual designs for demethanation implementations in landfills or in black coal mines,
• plans and technologies for capturing methane from mine workings that guarantee high efficiency of the demethanation process,
• plans for capturing methane from underground spaces in decommissioned black coal mines,
• underground and surface plans and mobile demethanation stations, along with gas pumping and stabilisation stations as well as gas transmission pipelines to consumers,
• gas network plans for transmission purposes,
• technical drilling plans, including the technology used for the execution of work.