China's Shanxi raises coalbed methane output to meet winter heating demand

TAIYUAN, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- North China's coal-rich province of Shanxi has stepped up coalbed methane production to meet rising energy demand for winter heating.

In September, the province extracted 940 million cubic meters of coalbed methane, setting a new monthly record, according to the provincial statistics bureau.

The total coalbed methane output for the first nine months of this year reached 8.09 billion cubic meters, also a record high, accounting for about 81.6 percent of the country's total in the period, the bureau said.

Huaxin Gas Group, which is responsible for about 70 percent of the natural gas supply in Shanxi, said the company is further increasing natural gas output and storage while exploring gas sources from other regions to ensure local supply.

Utilizing coalbed methane, a byproduct of coal, can reduce mining risks, 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.