Coalbed methane can be found almost anywhere there is coal. Considered a dangerous nuisance in the mining industry, it has potential as an abundant clean energy supply to help replace other diminishing hydrocarbon reserves. Recent developments in technologies and methodologies are playing a large part in harnessing this unconventional resource. Some of these are adaptations of those used in conventional oil and gas operations, but others are new applications designed specifically to address coal’s unique properties.
When humans discovered rocks that could pro-vide warmth and fuel cooking fires, coal was likely viewed as a gift from the gods. Extracting coal bed methane (CBM) from underground coal seams may not have the same significance to modern man, but this source for natural gas certainly seems like a gift to a world in need of clean energy supplies. Because today’s oil and gas industry recognizes the value of this unconventional resource, CBM exploration and development, once uniquely North American, are now under way on a global scale.
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