Research into comprehensive gas extraction technology of single coal seams with low permeability in the Jiaozuo coal mining area

For a low permeability single coal seam prone to gas outbursts, pre-drainage of gas is difficult and inefficient, seriously restricting the safety and efficiency of production. Radical measures of increasing gas extraction efficiency are pressure relief and infrared antireflection. We have analyzed the effect of mining conditions and the regularity of mine pressure distribution in front of the working face of a major coal mine of the Jiaozuo Industrial (Group) Co. as our test area, studied the width of the depressurization zone in slice mining and analyzed gas efficiency and fast drainage in the advanced stress relaxation zone. On that basis, we further investigated and practiced the exploitation technology of shallow drilling, fan drilling and grid shape drilling at the working face. Practice and our results show that the stress relaxation zone is the ideal region for quick and efficient extraction of gas. By means of an integrated extraction technology, the amount of gas emitted into the zone was greatly reduced, while the risk of dangerous outbursts of coal and gas was lowered markedly. This exploration provides a new way to control for gas in working faces of coal mines with low permeability and risk of gas outbursts of single coal seams in the Jiaozuo mining area. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.