165 successful. During the implementation of CBM projects, Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa (JSW S.A.), the largest coking coal producer in Europe, expressed its interest in joining ICE-CMM Poland. It formally became a member of the Center in January 2021. In the same year, PGNiG S.A. resigned from membership in connection with these changes and the European Union's policy related to fossil fuels, environmental protection and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the area of operation of the Centre also changed. The implementation of tasks related to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, with particular emphasis on methane from coal mines, has become a permanent priority. This area of activity is the most relevant to this day, and in the meantime other companies have joined the Centre. AGH University and coal producers: Polish Mining Group (PGG) in 2022, Lubelski Węgiel Bogdanka (LWB) in 2024 and Południowy Koncern Węglowy (PKW) in 2025. One of the most important goals of ICE-CMM Poland is also to facilitate ongoing cooperation between various entities operating in the mining industry. Ongoing contacts between specialists of the entities associated in the Centre enabled the implementation of research and implementation projects. They were carried out by various consortia, mostly international, often using funding from available sources. At least two companies associated with the Centre have always participated in these projects. An example of such an undertaking, implemented at the beginning of the Centre's activity, was the GEO-METAN project, in which two consortium members took part (in cooperation with the others). Its purpose was the preexploitation capture of methane from the coal seam (CBM). The entire project was divided into three stages: research and pilot, research and demonstration and implementation. It was carried out in the Gilowice area in the coal 510 seam (the Upper Silesian Coal Basin). Methane extraction was to be carried out by means of a double wells from the surface into unexploited parts of the deposit. In one of the wells, multi-stage hydraulic fracturing was performed. The first stage of the pilot project was the use of two wells drilled by Dart Energy (it resigned from conducting further work in this area): Gilowice-1 and Gilowice-2H. The work began with the workover of the Gilowice-2H borehole, which was selected for hydraulic fracturing. For this purpose, the technical condition of the borehole was checked, and the necessary geophysical measurements were made in it. Then, 4 ½ -inch pipes were driven into the hole, cemented, and the efficiency of cementation checked. The results of the work carried out are presented schematically in Figure 1.
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