Coal Bed Methane

CBM is a primary clean energy source of natural gas. Development and utilization of CBM
is of great social and economic benefits. It is a clean burning fuel (compressed natural
gasdCNG) for domestic and industrial uses. The extraction of CNG reduces explosion
hazards in underground coal mines. Large amount of methane (CH4) is often associated
with some of the coal seam. It is generated either by microbiological or by thermal process
as a result of increasing heat at greater depth during coal formation. Coal seams are often
saturated with ground water at high pressure. CBM recovery is a method of extraction of
methane from coal by drilling a well into the deposit (Fig. 11.18). Methane will readily
separate by reducing water pressure with partial pumping of water. The gas moves to the
well and pipe out to surface. It is compressed and sold to the market. The extraction
process involves drilling of 100s of wells with extensive infrastructural support facilities.
United States currently produces 7% of the natural gas (methane) from CBM. India is
endowed with huge reserves of bituminous coal of Paleozoic and Tertiary ages within the
CBM window at depths of nearly 250-1200 m.