Coal-rich Chinese province reports rising coalbed methane output

TAIYUAN, March 21 (Xinhua) -- China's coal-rich province of Shanxi extracted 1.99 billion cubic meters of coalbed methane in the first two months of 2024, up 13.6 percent year on year, accounting for about 79 percent of the country's total, according to the provincial statistics bureau.

Utilizing coalbed methane, a byproduct of coal, can help reduce risks in mining, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and ease gas shortages.

Shanxi is one of several Chinese regions with abundant coalbed methane resources. It houses about a third of China's estimated reserves of coalbed methane.

By the end of 2022, the province's proven coalbed methane reserves had surpassed 760 billion cubic meters.