On 8 June 2017, the International Centre of Excellence on Coal Mine Methane (ICE-CMM) was officially inaugurated in Katowice, Poland.
The Centre is conceived as a non-profit entity established and operating under the auspices of, and in close collaboration with, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and its Group of Experts on CMM.
The principal role of the Centre is to actively support the Group of Experts on CMM in its capacity-building activities through dissemination of best practices for (1) economically viable methane abatement and utilisation, (2) socially acceptable underground coal mine practices, and (3) environmentally responsible methane management.
Polish founders of ICE-CMM are: Central Mining institute from Katowice (Polish acronym: GIG), Polish Oil and Gas Company (PGNiG), Polish Geological Institute National Research Institute (PIG PIB), Oil and Gas Institute National Research Institute (INiG PIB).
On the occasion of opening of the Centre a workshop on Best Practices in Methane Drainage and Use in Coal Mines was organized.
Apart from its technical part focused on presentation of best practices in coal mine methane drainage and use, the workshop also provided its participants with an opportunity to engage in an open discussion within the framework of the International CMM Forum.
The aim of the latter was to provide a convenient platform for exchange of experiences and opinions among the participants, at the same time allowing the hosts to identify particular issues related to CMM recovery and utilisation that require special attention and assistance of such expert institutions as ICE-CMM.
See also:
Opening of the Centre at the website of ICE-CMM in Poland created by its hosts (in Polish)