CNPC expands production of coalbed methane

China’s largest oil and gas producer, China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) expanded its coalbed methane (CBM) production in Shanxi Province’s Qinshui Basin by 500 million cubic meters (cu m). The company expects to produce 600 million cu m of coalbed methane from the basin this year. Qinshui Basin covers an area of 23,923 square kilometers and has approximately one quarter of the country’s total, with CBM reserves of 3.95 trillion cubic meters (cu m). CNPC will achieve total CBM production capacity of 2.5 billion cubic meters (cu m) by 2015. (August 22, 2011)