Small building opposite ASOS...

On Houghton main roundabout there is a small building opposite the ASOS site. Got talking to a bloke today who told me it's a methane extraction unit, can anyone tell me if this is correct? And is there anymore of these across Barnsley?

 

There more than likely is not sure where though but probably everywhere there was a mine imo .
Methane build up can have a volcano effect if left unchecked . I think it was Cortonwood where the floor shoved up to the roof with methane pressure killing some miners .
Also the threat of ignition as well.

 

Lots of methane vents across the Yorkshire region. Far too many to list.

In terms of an extraction unit, it’s more of a dedicated system. It’s to control methane levels of the underground workings. Can also be used in old ground land fills.

No idea of what the system is and at what level it works at. I’d suggest more of a vent system as the site isn’t occupied and will be monitored remotely.

 

Yeah that's right mate, I know as a young lad growing up in thurnscoe there was a pipe sticking out of the old shaft which was to allow methane to escape and stop the risk of explosions. There's one at grimethorpe too just behind Royston glass industrial unit.

However the one at Houghton apparently draws the methane out and it is transferred to another Unit to make energy to power homes across the dearne valley. Was slightly intrigued by it all and jist wanted confirmation on it really. There's also one behind the units at grimethorpe that does the same thing.

 

See my last post pal. You might be able to shed some light on that for me.

 

Didn’t know that about using it for power .
We used to have methane borers working just behind the coal face and drew methane from beneath the coal face to stop it Building up pressure as a result of the Cortonwood incident .
I think it was just burned of though if memory serves as on the pit top there was an eternal flame just burning the methane . I’m sure others could tell you more though .

 

As a land driller working on old coal seams I know that methane levels can be checked for a prolonged period time for safety and for future construction. The old Orgreave site had plenty of boreholes to measure methane levels before they built the new massive estate

 

I used to be a Methane borer int pit.

 

It’s a complex process. It’s possible this is one of them, but I would have expected it to be manned more. Although with data systems these days, remote administration is possible I guess.

The quickest link I could find which simplifies it is this https://www.pwmag.com/waste/how-methane-gas-extraction-works_o. Although this outlines landfill operations more.

Coal ones used to use a water system and that’s when issues occurred with the polluted water and what to do with it.

Not sure if the latest systems do it differently now.

 

Appreciate that mate. Just had confirmation that they are extraction units and the gas is sold on to companies such as southern electric who then burn it at low oxygen levels that power turbines. It's seen as the future of UK energy and a safer alternative to nuclear energy.

There's 3 sites in Barnsley;
Thurnscoe
Grimethorpe
Houghton

They're manned only 5 days out of the month, mainly for maintenance and logistics. It was a company called Alkane but they've recently been bought out by an American company called Infinis.

Cheers for your help anyway people, just found it all quite interesting. It'll also be interesting to see if it is the next big thing in UK energy and how many jobs it would create over our town.

 

Interesting indeed mate.

Don’t think it will create many jobs though - the installation is specialist and only a few national firms do it. And as you say, they’re pretty much unmanned.

Makes sense to use them though without doubt

 

Yeah - we call it the toilet in our house. (Though the wife reckons the unit is in the bedroom. So I kick the dog)

 

Aye you'll probably be right there pal. They're also applying for planning permission to open 2 more sites, one at darfield and one at Hoyle Mill. Am I right in remembering that the oaks colliery was extremely dangerous due to stupidly high levels of methane?

 

Not sure on that, but wouldn’t surprise me. Some will have higher levels than others for sure.

 

I know a lot of water has gone under the bridge since coal was king but I’m sure I was told that methane would never be used as domestic fuel as it was very unpredictable with pressures etc . As I said that was many moons ago have they managed to control it nowadays .

 

They were always a very tired bunch the methane borers at Houghton lol

 

On training at Grimey in the mid 80's I remember them saying that a large unit at the side of the pit was for methane extraction and was experimental as it was being used as a power generation project.

 

Black Damp was the technical term miners used and fire damp was carbon monoxide if memory serves

 

Not 100% sure but I seem to recall that there's a methane extraction/ monitoring systems on the fields off Rotherham road just before the traffic lights near the Tesco on Carlton hill ..
I think if memory serves me right some years ago the council installed them due to the major problems the nearby houses were having