Just circulated on sub brit list
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: "IAN MCCLELLAN" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2007 6:12 PM
Subject: [subbrit] Coal Revolution and Mine Collapse on Newcastle Metro
> Expert predicts 'coal revolution' - BBC News Website on 16 Oct 07.
>
> The north-east of England could lead a second coal revolution within the
> next five years, an expert has claimed.
> Paul Younger, Professor of Energy and Environment at Newcastle University,
> said there was enough untapped coal reserves in the UK to last 400 years.
> He leads a consortium hoping to extract and capture gas by pumping in
> super-hot steam and oxygen into untapped seams. UK Coal closed the
> region's last deep mine at Ellington, Northumberland, in 2005, claiming it
> was no longer viable. Prof Younger said that despite centuries of mining,
> only about a quarter of the North East's coal resources had been used up,
> with "vast amounts" remaining.
> 'Novel industries'
> He now wants to access these reserves using "underground coal
> gasification". The process involves drilling boreholes into the coal,
> pushing steam and oxygen into one hole and drawing out the hot gas from
> another.
> He said: "I think this is a wonderful springboard to a renewable future.
> Now we have cleaner ways of using fossil fuels to get there.
> "By drilling boreholes, no-one has to go underground. It's a much cleaner
> and safer opportunity for the people involved.
> "In the North East we're not scared of novel industries. There's still an
> appetite for engineering in the North East. I think it will be very
> popular in the region."
> He said he would like to see the process up-and-running in the region
> within five years.
>
> And more recently this was reported today on the BBC News site, the
> resulting disruption is expected to last at least a week!
>
> Mine shaft collapse halts Metro
>
> Major disruption has been caused to the Tyne and Wear Metro system after
> an old mine shaft collapsed near a station.
> A train driver spotted the hole near the track at Northumberland Park,
> North Tyneside, on Wednesday evening.
> All services have been suspended on a 2.5 mile (4km) stretch of track
> between Benton and Shiremoor.
> The suspension is expected to be in place until Friday and replacement bus
> services are in operation between Four Lane Ends and Shiremoor.
> Engineers are trying to establish the extent of the damage, according to
> Tyne and Wear Metro operator Nexus.
> Speaking on Thursday morning, spokesman Huw Lewis said: "We know it's
> about six-feet wide and it's right beside the Metro line. At the moment,
> we don't know how deep it goes or how far it runs from the opening.
> "Engineers brought in from the Midlands overnight are exploring, so that
> so we can find out what's needed to put things right."
> Mick Carbro, director of Metro, added: "I want to apologise to passengers
> for the disruption they are suffering, but we have to close this stretch
> of line while we investigate the subsidence and make the track completely
> safe.
> "My staff are concentrating on two things - making sure we get Metro back
> to normal as soon as possible, and providing the best possible alternative
> travel in the meantime."
>
> A link to the coal story - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7046981.stm
> and the mine collapse story -
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/7050363.stm
>
> Best regards, Ian.
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