COALBED METHANE EXPLORATION THEORY AND PRACTICE IN THE HIGH COAL RANK AREAS OF CHINA

There is obvious difference between the distribution of coalbed methane in the U.S. and in China, based on the comparison between origination condition. Large amount of coalbed methane resource is distributed in the high coal rank area of China, especially in the North and South China. Postsedimentary tectonic activities may lead to high permeability and high gas content. These potential sweet points could be found through detailed geologic study. Guided by this theory, the first coalbed methane gas field in China located in the high coal rank area was discovered in the 1990s, which has edriched the theory and expanded the exploration scope of coalbed methane.