Changes

Attempts to drill into coal beds to draw out their contained gas and, in this way, reduce mining hazards were first made in Europe in the late 19th century, but recognition of its potential as an energy source and the exploration for and commercial production of coalbed methane did not occur until the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States (in the [[Black Warrior basin]] of Alabama and in the [[San Juan basin]] of New Mexico and Colorado; [[:file:FG34.JPG|Figure 1]]). Significant exploration for and production of coalbed methane in these basins began in the U.S. in the mid-1980s, encouraged by a federal tax credit granted for the production of this abundant energy resource. It was predicted by some that interest in the production of coalbed methane would decrease or even die with the termination of the tax credit at year-end 1992, but this has not been the case, probably because natural gas is considered a desirable clean source of energy, and because the development of new production technology has made possible the profitable production of coalbed methane even without the tax-credit stimulus. From its origin as an experimental coal-mine degasification procedure, coalbed methane is becoming a promising new worldwide source of energy. In the United States, it has now grown to provide 7% of the total natural-gas production. Coalbed methane no longer deserves to be called an unconventional gas source; a mining hazard for many decades, it has become an economically viable conventional natural gas source.

Attempts to drill into coal beds to draw out their contained gas and, in this way, reduce mining hazards were first made in Europe in the late 19th century, but recognition of its potential as an energy source and the exploration for and commercial production of coalbed methane did not occur until the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States (in the [[Black Warrior basin]] of Alabama and in the [[San Juan basin]] of New Mexico and Colorado; [[:file:FG34.JPG|Figure 1]]). Significant exploration for and production of coalbed methane in these basins began in the U.S. in the mid-1980s, encouraged by a federal tax credit granted for the production of this abundant energy resource. It was predicted by some that interest in the production of coalbed methane would decrease or even die with the termination of the tax credit at year-end 1992, but this has not been the case, probably because natural gas is considered a desirable clean source of energy, and because the development of new production technology has made possible the profitable production of coalbed methane even without the tax-credit stimulus. From its origin as an experimental coal-mine degasification procedure, coalbed methane is becoming a promising new worldwide source of energy. In the United States, it has now grown to provide 7% of the total natural-gas production. Coalbed methane no longer deserves to be called an unconventional gas source; a mining hazard for many decades, it has become an economically viable conventional natural gas source.