Location design for gas drainage holes toward their efficient operation

The article discusses drainage of coal with high gas content and high outburst hazard as a case-study of mines of the Coal Department of Qarmet JSC in Kazakhstan. The key problem is intense emission of methane during coal mining. Traditional methods of gas drainage lose efficiency at the depths below 500 m. It is necessary to introduce more innovative methods to remove methane from coal seams. This article analyzes modern technologies of enhanced gas drainage, with special attention to new approaches to safety of mining operations. One of the solutions is the introduction of gas drainage holes made above coal seams being mined as this can improve greatly efficiency of methane removal from coal seams. The studies show that such gas drainage holes reduce the volume of methane emission in mine roadways. Optimization of gas drainage requires careful selection of location design of the gas drainage holes, based on the detailed analysis of ground conditions and characteristics of coal seams. Consideration of the geomechanical behavior of rock mass is crucial for the stability of mine roadways. The use of gas drainage holes in combination with their correct location design with regard to the geomechanical factors is a promising way of enhancing efficiency of drainage in coal–rock mass. This allows reduction of risks and improvement of operating conditions, which is a top-priority objective of coal mines with high gas content.

Kalykov А. K., Khusnutdinov R. B., Maslov A. M. Location design for gas drainage holes toward their efficient operation. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2025;(8):60-70. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2025_8_0_60.

А.K. Kalykov, Mining Engineer, Member of Mazhilis of the Parliament Republic of Kazakhstan, Astana, Kazakhstan, e-mail: kalykov@parlam.kz,
R.B. Khusnutdinov¹, Leading Engineer of the Department's Scientific Project, e-mail: ibc-info@yandex.ru,
A.M. Maslov¹, Graduate Student, e-mail: maslov99-99@yandex.ru.
¹ University of Science and Technology MISIS, 119049, Moscow, Russia.

A.M. Maslov, e-mail: maslov99-99@yandex.ru.

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