Coal Bed Methane Exploration:A Journey from Alternative Energy Option to the Environment Polluting Agent

The occurrence of methane gas in the underground coal seams is well known since last many decades, but its pre-mining recovery in the form of CBM technology has been established in the recent times. Coal bed methane, no longer an emergent resource, is now maturing as a significant source of energy for mitigating the enhanced energy requirements of the world including India. The dual benefits of CBM recovery, other than alternate energy option include reduction in mining hazard and green house effect. But, the actual field experience of CBM exploration reveals that the technique is accompanied with many environmental difficulties like groundwater depletion, water disposal problem, air pollution, soil degradation and adverse effects on the ecosystem etc. As a result, the regulatory bodies involved in such programs are facing the challenge of balancing the need to fulfil the projected energy demand on one hand and their duties to protect the environment on the other. Present paper focuses on the environmental hazards and their possible remedial measures vis-a-vis CBM technology.