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Oil, Gas & Mining vocabulary · Health & Safety

Methane

Meaning in oil, gas & mining, with examples

/ˈmeθeɪn/nounCommon term

In oil, gas & mining, methane means: A colourless, odourless gas (CH4) that is the main part of natural gas. In coal mines it is released from the coal and can explode when mixed with air.

In Turkish: metan, grizu

How it is used

Methane is explosive at about 5 to 15 percent in air, so coal mines monitor it continuously and cut the power when levels rise. Miners call the explosive mixture firedamp (Turkish: grizu). It is also a strong greenhouse gas, so leaks and venting are tracked.

Example sentences

  1. Power to the face was cut automatically when methane rose above the limit.

  2. Methane leaks from gas pipelines are a growing concern for regulators.

Common collocations

  • methane level
  • methane drainage
  • methane emissions
  • methane monitoring
  • gas detectorAn electronic device that measures dangerous gases such as H2S, methane or carbon monoxide, or a lack of oxygen, and sounds an alarm when levels become unsafe.
  • ventilationThe system that moves fresh air through an underground mine to supply oxygen, remove dust, heat and dangerous gases, and keep the air safe to breathe.
  • natural gasA gas fuel found underground, made mostly of methane and often found with oil. It is used for heating, cooking, power plants and as a raw material for industry.
  • seamA layer of coal or another mineral lying between layers of other rock. It may be a few centimetres or many metres thick.
  • flaringBurning unwanted natural gas through a tall pipe called a flare at a well site, platform or plant, either for safety or because the gas cannot be used or sold.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Health & Safety

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