METHANE RECOVERY FROM COALBEDS: A Potential Energy Source

Methane, the primary constituent of natural gas, is often generated during coal-forming processes. Thus, methane is regularly found associated with coals, either as adsorbed gas in the seams or as gas pools in overlying formations. Most of the information on coalbed methane presently available is from mining areas in the eastern U.S., where the coal resource is well defined and mining companies are experienced in dealing with the methane hazard. At present, methane is simply vented from mines; it is estimated that 250 MMe£ of "coal gas" gets vented daily in this country. Very little work ~as been done so far towards utilizing the coalbed methane resource, despite the fact that present day technologies could easily be applied to its production. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Methane Recovery from Coalbeds Project (MRCP) was initiated to encourage the use of this resource, specifically through (1) the delineation and evaluation of the coalbed methane resource to the extent that productive and economically attractive target areas might be reliably chosen and (2) the development of improved, more cost-effective methods, systems, and equipment for economically producing and using methane from both mined and unmined coalbeds.