Surface drilling was performed at the Luling Coal Mine,in Huaibei,to shorten the period required for gas draining.The experimental study was designed to reduce the cost of gas control by efficiently draining gas from the upper protected layer.The structural arraignment and technical principles of pressure relief via surface drilling are discussed.Results from the trial showed that gas drained from the surface system over a period of 10 months.The total amount of collected gas was 248.4 million m^3.The gas draining occurred in three stages：a growth period;a period of maximum gas production;and an attenuation period.The period of maximum gas production lasted for 4 months.During this time the methane concentration ranged from 60%to 90%and the average draining rate was 10.6 m^3/min.Combined with other methods of draining it was possible to drain 70.6%of the gas from middle coal seam groups.The amount of residual gas dropped to 5.2 m^3/ton,and the pressure of the residual gas fell to 0.53 MPa, thereby eliminating the outburst danger in the middle coal seam groups.The factors affecting pressure relief gas draining by surface drilling were analysed.
