CONSOL Energy Plans to Re-enter Blacksville No. 2

CONSOL Energy Plans to Re-enter Blacksville No. 2

CONSOL Energy has received approval from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) for its plan to re-enter the Blacksville No. 2 mine, evacu-ated March 12 when smoke was detect-ed from the Orndoff shaft. Since then CONSOL Energy, in conjunction with fed-eral and state authorities, pumped enough water into the mine to complete the seal operation and remotely pump eight isolation walls from the surface to seal off the fire area.

This process was completed March 24. An analysis indicated the fire was suc-cessfully extinguished and company offi-cials have said they would allow re-entry pending further testing; Blacksville No. 2 produces approximately 400,000 tons of coal monthly under normal operations.

“I am extremely proud of the success-ful collaborative effort from federal and state agencies, the UMWA, contractors-vendors and our employees on site who worked around-the-clock to remotely extinguish a fire in less than 12 days,” said CONSOL Energy Senior Vice President Chuck Shaynak. “We accom-plished all of the work without an injury.”

As featured in Womp 2013 Vol 04 - www.womp-int.com