Coalbed Methane

Coal — the source of coalbed methane gas.	CBM powered generation facility.

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Coalbed methane (CBM), the natural gas from coal, is an emerging energy source that rivals conventional natural gas in composition and heating value.  Historically a mining hazard, CBM is now extracted in many areas to improve mine safety and become a valuable part of the energy mix.  It is also produced from abandoned mines and from coals too thin or deep to be mined.  The most common use of CBM is in natural gas pipelines for domestic, commercial, and industrial fuel.  Production occurs in coal-bearing rocks at depths ranging from approximately 300 to 1800 feet.  Despite the hurdle of ownership of the gas based on severed mineral rights, interest in developing this resource continues to grow in Pennsylvania.