Analysis of Critical Restricting Factors and Proposals for Coabed Methane Development in China

摘要

"Clean technology and low carbon" is becoming a new trend of energy development worldwide. To speed up Coalbed Methane (CBM) exploration and development is of significant importance to reduce coal mine gas accidents, to protect atmospheric environment and to improve energy structure. Greater efforts have been exerted to CBM development, and three major CBM enterprises emerged. Qinnan, Lu'an and Sanjiao cooperation modes are developed to promote the coordinated development of gas extraction and coal mining. Many exploration and development technologies, tailored for various rank coal methane and for different geological conditions, are developed. Exploring technology, in CBM buried deeper than 800m and in low-rank coal bed methane development, has achieved substantial breakthrough. Moreover, Qinnan, Hancheng, Daning-jixian and Baode four favorable blocks are all adjacent to the major existing pipelines. China is rich in CBM resources, with great potentials and promising prospects, however, two factors of technology and management are still constraining the development of China's CBM. Based on the analysis of the key factors, four following suggestions are proposed: to adjust strategies based on the resource distribution, to further coordinate governmental policies and entrepreneur performance, to strive to make technological breakthroughs in increasing single well yield and in promoting integrated economic efficiency, to establish a unified information platform to avoid disorderly competition and repeated investment.