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CBM Information and Resources

The exploration and development of coal bed methane in the United States is a growing concern. Last year, methane produced from coal seams amounted to approximately 7.5 percent of the overall natural gas production in the country. The development of this resource has created the need for public education, technology transfer, and the creation of methods to allow growth while minimizing impacts to the environment. Below are various documents, resources and links for project planning.

Best Management Practices

Best Management Practices (BMPs) and mitigation strategies are of particular interest as they may afford the tools to facilitate development of natural gas production from underground coal seams in an environmentally responsible manner. The combination of heightened awareness of environmental issues related to present-day development/production practices, including water production, hydraulic treatments, pipeline construction, storage and compression facilities, water impoundments and disposal practices, both shallow and deep injection practices, and sensitive soils only increase the need for planning. These issues have placed increased pressure on state and federal agencies, industry, landowners, and the general public with respect to development methodologies. Increased awareness of best management practices, mitigation strategies and planning can enhance resource development opportunities.

The Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation and ALL Consulting prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy, National Petroleum Technology Office, and the National Energy Technology Laboratory a handbook on Best Management Practices and Mitigation Strategies for Coal Bed Methane in the Montana Portion of the Powder River Basin.
Click to View or Download the BMP Handbook.

Environmental Impact Statement

Statewide Final Draft Oil and Gas Environmental Impact Statement and Amendment of the Powder River and Billings Resource Management Plan.
Click Below to Download the EIS as a Zipped PDF file:

Chapters 1-5 (15.1 MB)
Appendices (7.4 MB)
NOTE: Large files may take a long time to download.

Beneficial Uses for Produced CBM Water

Coal bed methane production requires the removal of groundwater from the coal beds to release adsorbed methane. The produced water is considered a byproduct or waste product of coal bed methane production. In the Powder River Basin, produced water is discharged at the ground surface along existing drainages, sent to various types of impoundments, used for stock water and irrigation, used for industrial uses (e.g., at coal mines), used for dust control, discharged via pipelines to watersheds such as the Powder or Tongue Rivers, and to some extent used for domestic purposes.

The Department of Energy, Ground Water Protection Research Foundation, and the Bureau of Land Management are conducting a research project to study the feasibility of beneficial uses for coal bed methane produced water.
Click here to learn more about the project or
Click here to submit a Beneficial Use Idea.

CBM Documents and Presentations

REGULATORY ISSUES AFFECTING MANAGEMENT OF PRODUCED WATER FROM COAL BED METHANE WELLS
View the paper prepared by John A. Veil of the Argonne National Laboratory
Coal Bed Methane Information Tracking
View Dan Arthur's presentation from the GWPC's annual UIC meeting in Houston in January, 2002.
Introduction to Coal Bed Methane
View Bruce Langhus' presentation from the GWPC's annual UIC meeting in Houston in January, 2002.
CBM Best Management Practices Update
Presented at the International Petroleum Environmental Consortium November 2001 – Houston, Texas by Dan Arthur
CBM in the Powder River Basin of Montana
Read the CBM Technical Paper prepared by ALL Consulting and the Montana Board of Oil and Gas and presented at the Ground Water Protection Council's Annual Forum from September 22-26 in Reno, NV.
"Let's Talk Technical, Montana's CBM EIS Status" View Dan Arthur's Presentation from the August 29th Montana Petroleum Association's Annual Meeting.

CBM Links

Montana Department of Environmental Quality: Coal Bed Methane Page

EPA Coal Bed Methane Outreach Program

USGS Coal Bed Methane Studies

 

      

Disclaimer

Restriction of Liability: Neither ALL Consulting, the Montana Board of Oil & Gas Conservation, or the State of Montana, nor any of their employees make any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information or data provided in this project. The data included in this project could include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. ALL Consulting, the Montana Board of Oil & Gas Conservation, or any another associated affiliate may update, modify, or revise the data in this project at any time, without notice. Please note that decisions should not be made solely on the use of this data; field confirmation is highly recommended.