A Method of Quick and Safe Coal Uncovering by Hydraulic Fracturing in a Multibranch Radial Hole with a Coalbed Methane Well

[Image: see text] Coal and gas outburst accidents occur most frequently during coal uncovering operation, and uncovering-induced outburst accidents have caused great economic losses and casualties. In order to quickly and safely uncover the outburst coal seam at the air intake shaft in panel 2, Zhaozhuang Coal Mine has come up with the technology of multibranch radial borehole hydraulic fracturing (MRBHF) coal uncovering technology in the surface coalbed methane (CBM) well. By conducting fracturing of constructed radial boreholes in the CBM well, the technology increases fractures, enhancing coal permeability and raising gas drainage volume in the uncovering area. It brings the following three major benefits: (1) uncovering coal efficiently, rapidly, and safely; (2) greatly reducing engineering quantity, coal uncovering period, and construction cost, i.e., significantly improving the economic benefits; and (3) efficiently reusing the CBM well. Compared with conventional uncovering measures, the proposed technology shortens the uncovering period by 118 d, enhances the coal seam permeability by 3.55 times, raises the gas drainage rate by 22%, increases the gas drainage volume by 1.93 times, and reduces the engineering volume of drilling by 12,000 m. The safe, rapid, economical, and applicable technology provides scientific guidance and reference for domestic and foreign shaft coal uncovering engineering and possesses important economic and social values and application prospect for safe and efficient production of coal mines.