Coalbed methane (CBM) or coalbed gas is a form of natural gas extracted from coal beds. In recent decades it has become an important source of energy in United States, Canada, and other countries. Australia has rich deposits where it is known as coal seam gas. As opposed to extracting gas from working mines, Coal Bed Methane specifically exploits natural gases from unworked coal seams. Often called Virgin Coal Bed Methane (VCBM), the process involves drilling directly into the unworked coal. The first Coal Bed Methane well in the UK was drilled in 1992 and there have since been several pilot drilling schemes across the country. Despite this, there are no large scale operational developments yet but, apparently, in a handful of areas commercial operators appear close to achieving commercial-scale drilling with the help of directional drilling techniques, adopted from the oil industry. [1]
