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Global Potential of Coal Bed Methane

By Denise Palmer

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 01Aug2007
Word count: 571
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New Report Examines Market Potential

Seen in the past mainly as a safety hazard for coal miners and a costly nuisance for mine operators, CMM is now being widely studied and exploited.

Coalmine methane (CMM), for centuries the bane of canaries and miners, now offers potential as an alternative fuel source. A new report from Energy Business Reports examines the market potential for this energy source.

Coal bed methane (CBM) refers to methane deposits in the pores of coal seams. The methane is in a near-liquid state, contained in tiny pockets within the coal. Coalmine methane (CMM) is released when coal is fractured during mining operations.

Seen in the past mainly as a safety hazard for coal miners and a costly nuisance for mine operators, CMM is now being widely studied and exploited. A number of countries are currently exploiting CMM, including Australia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Japan, Poland, the UK, and the U.S. Globally, recovery projects utilize three distinct types of coal bed methane to varying extents: Drained coal mine methane gas from active mines (or drained gas); collected methane from abandoned mines (AMM); and captured ventilation air methane (VAM). Three commercially available technologies can be used to generate power from drained CMM - internal combustion engines, gas turbines, and microturbines.

There are a variety of profitable uses for CMM, including natural gas pipeline injection for resale, fuel for on-site or off-site electricity production, fuel for co-firing boilers, fuel for on-site or off-site heat, and use as an industrial feedstock. Capture and use of CMM has benefits for the local and also the greater global environment, including the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and the utilization of an otherwise wasted clean energy resource. In addition, other ancillary benefits can include improved mine safety and mine productivity as well as energy and economic independence.

There are a number of negative environmental impacts associated with capture and use of CBM/CMM including climate change, effects on drinking water, air quality, and surface disturbances. Nevertheless, the sharp rise in energy prices has renewed focus on coal bed methane and coalmine methane projects in coal-producing countries around the world. Additionally, several other factors have prompted a resurgent interest in CMM projects. First, the steep growth in global energy demand has catalyzed the search for new, unconventional sources of natural gas and power. Second, programs, such as the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Joint Implementation (JI), have created financial incentives to develop projects that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Third, multi-national collaborative initiatives such as the Methane to Markets Partnership have focused on overcoming the policy, regulatory, legal, and technical barriers that inhibit project development.

CBM/CMM utilization projects are in the operational, development, or planning stages in at least 13 countries. The total methane emission reductions that could be achieved by these projects are approximately 135 billion cubic feet (Bcf) per year (equal to 14.8 million tons of carbon equivalent per year). This global activity level reflects a growing awareness of the technological practicality and the economic attractiveness of coalmine methane recovery and use.

The U.S. EPA's Coalbed Methane Outreach Program (CMOP) estimates that there are over 200 CMM projects in operation around the world. Many more project opportunities exist, especially in developing countries and countries in transition. These opportunities are being eagerly pursued and encouraged by project developers, technology vendors, coalmine companies, and government officials.

About the Publisher: This report is published by Energy Business Reports , an energy industry think tank and leading source for energy industry information and research products. To read more about this topic, see 'Coal Bed Methane Global Market Potential'

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