Coalbed methane in green focus

Greater efforts are needed to develop coalbed methane (CBM) resources in China, among other unconventional natural gas forms, highlighting its potential to enhance the country's energy security and promote cleaner energy use, said Zhang Qingsheng, executive director of Sinopec Zhongyuan Oilfield under China Petroleum and Chemical Corp.

Stronger policy support, increased investment and technological innovation are needed to boost CBM extraction and utilization, said Zhang, who is also a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

"CBM is a valuable resource that can help optimize our energy structure while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We should take proactive measures to accelerate its development," he said.

CBM is a new type of unconventional natural resource and is widely distributed across coal-rich basins in China, such as those of Ordos, Sichuan and Junggar, with estimated reserves exceeding 40 trillion cubic meters.

However, due to unclear reservoir formation mechanisms and high extraction difficulty — together with other challenges including low extraction efficiency, insufficient infrastructure and limited market access — further exploration and development possibilities have been long hindered.

The NPC deputy suggested that the government introduce more supportive policies, including financial incentives and streamlined approval processes, to encourage enterprises to invest in CBM projects in China.

Strengthening research and development to improve extraction technologies and enhance recovery rates was also recommended.

Industry experts believe unconventional resources will not only enhance self-sufficiency, but also provide a buffer against external market uncertainties — and CBM is expected to see exponential growth with continued technological breakthroughs.

Wu Mouyuan, vice-president of the Economics and Technology Research Institute under China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), said earlier that China has been tapping into unconventional resources in recent years to expand its energy supply.

Significant advancements in shale gas exploration and CBM extraction are already reshaping the country's resource landscape and could unleash vast new potential in the coming decades, Wu said.

China's first successfully developed deep coal-measure gas field, Daji gas field, located on the eastern edge of the Ordos Basin, recently announced that it had achieved cumulative production of over 3 billion cubic meters.

Its 2024 output surged to 1.69 billion cubic meters, marking a 79.2 percent year-on-year increase, said its operator CNPC.

China's CBM production is expected to reach 17 billion cubic meters in 2025. By 2035, the country aims to have proven geological CBM reserves of 5 trillion cubic meters, with an annual production scale of 40 to 50 billion cubic meters, significantly enhancing China's energy security.