Application of microseismic monitoring to characterise geomechanical conditions in longwall mining

Abstract

To characterise the geomechanical conditions and responses to underground coal mining in different geological settings, we have undertaken microseismic monitoring at two longwall mines. Our work has concentrated on major concerns of the mines such as the patterns of induced fracturing in the roof and floor, the effect of geological faults and the possibility of water and methane gas inflows. Our results have comprehensively defined the fracture patterns. Applications for microseismic also exist for the fracture growth in reservoir engineering and the data can be used for the study of shear wave anisotropy in fractured media.