Coronado has been capturing methane (CH4) from our Buchanan operations since 1992. Buchanan also operates exhaust ventilation shafts which move fresh air into the mine and channel the return air out. This return air has low concentrations of methane in a mixture known as Ventilation Air Methane (VAM).
As part of our commitment to finding innovative ways to further reduce emissions, we formed a partnership with NextEra Energy in 2022. Together, we began operating our first VAM oxidizing system, called the Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO). In April of last year, we brought a second RTO unit online. These units have significantly reduced the carbon footprint of the Buchanan complex.
The success of our Buchanan VAM units has received international attention. Earlier this year, our team was contacted by the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (EPA), who were eager to learn about our experiences in introducing the RTO technology. They aimed to gain insights and learnings from the project to date.
Our U.S. engineering team compiled safety and operational plans to share with the NSW EPA, including a detailed description of the system and technology, the locations of the units, methane detectors, system controllers, and maintenance plans. The safety considerations included information on lightning protection, emergency shutdown provisions, and gas storage arrangements.
The international interest in our Buchanan VAM RTO technology is a testament to the team’s innovation and perseverance throughout this project, as well as their commitment—and that of Coronado—to reducing emissions from our operations.
