2015

Sub Pro Fluid

Drainage System

Improving methane drainage and gas

management in underground mining

Subterranean Professionals
www.subpro.net.au

Sub Pro Fluid Drainage System

Overview
Over the last 12 months there has been a significant shift in how underground coal mines are
operating.
As the industry emerges out of a productivity down-turn, mining companies are strengthening
their cost reduction and efficiency programs to regain momentum.
As a result, mitigating the risks and hazards associated with underground coal mining has
become critical in order to improve productivity and meet operational demands.
While underground coal mines have many hazards, two of the top five principal hazards are
methane drainage and gas management.
In order to address these hazards, mines that have high levels of seam gas must ensure they have
the appropriate tools and strategies in place to drain the gas in the coal seam to an acceptable
level before mining can commence.
The development of underground roadways often also involves the intersection of the gas
drainage boreholes, and as a result it is important to manage these safely and efficiently while
maintaining the boreholes integrity so as to continue draining the coal seam for safe longwall
mining.
In order to ensure this process is achieved as quickly and safely as possible, Subterranean
Professionals (Sub Pro) have developed a fluid drainage system which is ideal for use in
underground coal when intersecting both underground in-seam (UIS) & Surface to in-seam (SIS)
gas drainage boreholes.
The system has been developed to manage the major hazards associated with in-seam gas
drainage, making it easier and safer for miners to manage the intersection of boreholes.
With a complete borehole intersection kit, the system has several key features which makes it safe
and easy to use, and allows the user to manage the intersection from the time it is intersected
with the continuous miner, until it is mined out with the longwalls shearer.
This whitepaper explores the key features and benefits of the Sub Pro fluid drainage system, and a
step by step guide on how you can implement it in your own underground mine site in order to
improve in-seam gas drainage.

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Sub Pro Fluid Drainage System

At a glance: why Sub Pro?

Restrictions and blockages can easily occur within gas drainage boreholes due to an inflow of
groundwater from the coal seam or failure of the coal seam surrounding the borehole.
Such restrictions or blockages may dramatically slow or even prevent gas drainage and although
water accumulation is more likely to occur early in the life of the borehole, failure of the coal may
occur at any time.
In order to avoid these risks, the Sub Pro Fluid Drainage System has been developed to avoid gas
leakage into roadways, in an easy to use and simple method.
The system comes complete as an SIS or UIS intersection hose over kit, which is tailored for
individual mine sites to suit their specific needs and requirements.
The kit comes with two gas-rated standpipes with lockable ball valves, to keep drainage active and
also avoid obstruction through the roadway.
It is also constructed with 20mm gas rated lockable ball valves for testing, sampling and which
can be used as a water trap to remove water from the system.
Ultimately the system provides a new and more effective method to minimise gas and water
leakage, and improve overall efficiency of in-seam gas extraction in underground mine sites.
Find out more about the system in the short video below.

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Sub Pro Fluid Drainage System

Key features and benefits

1. Its constructed by a licensed Plumber gas fitter
The drainage system is made from gas rated components. Because the system will be used and
grouted into a rock or coal face, it has been constructed to comply with commercial gas standards
in order for it to be used safely.
All components and fittings that come with the kit have been developed and constructed to meet
Australian Standards and comply with gas fitting regulations. [see figure 1]

Figure 1 - snapshot of intersection kit

2. Flexibility
The kit itself provides male and female standard parts. This means it comes as one complete unit
for each side of the borehole, so a standard hose can be used without it having to be modified.

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Sub Pro Fluid Drainage System

3. Minimises obstruction to roadway

One of the biggest challenges associated with in seam gas drainage is keeping the drainage hole
active. The sub pro intersection kit can be used to overcome this challenge by inserting the two
stand pipes in either side of the borehole and connecting the hose to these pipes, which then
filters the gas upwards and back down to the other side.
The major benefit of this is there is no obstruction to the roadway. Typically, if a hose was used
straight across a borehole it would interfere with the roadway.
The kit has also been created with lockable ball valves to enable you to control who open and
closes the valves, which also minimises gas influencing the roadways. The big advantage of this, is
it minimalises explosive or damaging fumes in the ventilation roadways.
Temporary sealing gas bags are used as part of initial intersection. This halts the flow of gas from
the intersected bore hole into the road way until the mining unit has passed and can be
completed at a later time. [See figure 2].

Figure 2 - gas bags fitted with end covers

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Sub Pro Fluid Drainage System

4. Multiple drainage points

The system has multiple drainage points throughout, so if installed correctly it will enable you to
drain water out of the borehole efficiently and effectively. There is water and gas trapped within
the seam, the Sub Pro system allows the water to be removed.

5. Minimises blockages
Because the gas comes out of the rim and travels upwards, there are potential blockages which
could occur along the line as a result. To mitigate this, the system has incorporated drains and
sample points along the line.
This enables users to sample whether the lines are active, and drain water out where blockages
occur. This is done using lockable valves, which enables users to control who opens and closes the
valves.
For boreholes that are not required for gas drainage, the system also offers an option that will
allow you to block the redundant boreholes to prevent the degree of oxygen into the coal seam
while still allowing for sampling and monitoring gases that are present. This allows you to
monitor for change or sign of accelerated oxidization, heating spontaneous combustion and/or
seam gas migration.

6. Tailor made to suit individual needs

Each kit is tailored individually to suit specific mine sites. It can be modified based on individual
mine site needs. For example, Sub Pro recently modified the valves in a kit for a client so the
valves aligned with the rest of the uniformed valves they had across their mine site.

7. Its a time saver

The drainage system is fast and the small amount of time it takes to install is one of its biggest
benefits. The less time that a hole is open, the less influence the gas will have on a roadway.
When using the Sub Pro system, it takes approximately 90 seconds for the locking mechanism to
inflate and lock into place.
The sooner the standpipe is inserted into the rib, the faster it will seal off the hole and drainage
can be isolated. As a result, you can isolate gas from entering the roadway in a more timely
fashion.

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Sub Pro Fluid Drainage System

Figure 3 - locking gas bag fitted to the base of the standpipe

Top tips for effective use

The use of Sub Pros inseam gas drainage system is split into two parts:
a) The installation of the gas drainage borehole intersection procedure
b) The installation of the Sub Pro drainage hose over kit
There are a number of steps which can be taken to use Sub Pros inseam gas drainage borehole
intersection procedure effectively:
1.

Follow your sites Borehole Intersection Procedure (BIN) to ensure your Sub Pro borehole
intersection kit is in a safe location, close by and the tamper tag is in place.
2. At the 10 metre mark and in conjunction with the 10 metre checks, open the Sub Pro
borehole kit and remove the temporary sealing gasbags, along with the inserter tool and
have them ready on the continuous miner.

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Sub Pro Fluid Drainage System

3. After intersecting the borehole and when safe to do so, insert the temporary gas bags. To
do this place the gas bag in the borehole with enough room to be able to active the bag
(1/3 length of the gasbag in the borehole).
4. Activate the gas bag then push into place one metre up the borehole and hold until set
then remove the inserter tool. These gas bags are a temporary seal and may not stop the
flow of gas but they will slow it down enough for you complete the cutting cycle safely.
The following steps can also be used to successfully install the Sub Pro Borehole hose over part of
the kit:
1.

Transport the kit and all other pieces of equipment required to complete the hose over i.e.
the grout pump, air, water and suitable hose.
2. Set up with grout bowl, grouting lines and prepare the grout mix as per the manufacturers
instructions.
3. With the ERZ controller presenting and working from one side to the other, use the
remover tool from the kit. This adapts to the inserter tool used to position the gas bag in
place.
It is important to use caution as this tool is sharp and you will need to use enough force to
puncher the gas bag.
Do not pull the deflating gas bag out straight away. Let it deflate first. The gas in the Sub
Pro gasbag is non-flammable, non-toxic and non-hazardous as per the MSDS but the gas
from the borehole may be. Make sure the ventilation is in place and is adequate.
4. After removing the gas bag, discard as per your sites procedure for use of aerosol
underground.
For more information about the Sub Pro fluid drainage system please click here or visit
www.subpro.net.au

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