What is coal bed natural gas?
The primary energy source of natural gas is a substance called methane (CH4). Coal bed natural gas (CBNG) is simply methane found in coal seams. It is produced by non-traditional means, and therefore, while it is sold and used the same as traditional natural gas, its production is very different. CBNG is generated either from a biological process as a result of microbial action or from a thermal process as a result of increasing heat with depth of the coal. Often a coal seam is saturated with water, and natural gas is held in the coal by water pressure. Currently, natural gas from coal beds accounts for approximately 8% of total natural gas production in the United States.
