Prospects for Worldwide CBM(Coalbed Methane) Development

The CBM(Coalbed Methane) development technology being developed in mid 1980s is the technology to produce the methane gas absorbed in the coal bed. CBM is easy to be developed and its coal deposit is abundant. Therefore, the CBM industry has a large potential as an energy source as well as to deal with the global regulations for reducing greenhouse gas emission. In order to produce coal, the CBM should first be developed as a preliminary action for mine security. So CBM is advantageous in reducing the global greenhouse gas as well as its advantage not being influenced by the changes in gas market. The ECBM (Enhanced Coalbed Methane) is a new technique producing the methane gas which is substituted and disorbed from coal by injecting CO2 or N-2 gas into a coal bed. Especially, CO2-ECMB is a low-carbon, green-growth technology, so can expect to the effect of green gas reduction as well as the improved productivity of methane gas. CBM technology is being developed in about 40 nations including Canada, Australia, China, India, Indonesia and Viet Nam, and the coal output using this technology is continually being increased. The CBM is expected to contribute in changing the energy source paradigm from current coal & petroleum energy to unconventional gas.