Coalbed Methane
Natural gas may be produced from wells in deep coal seams by pumping out water to reduce formation pressure. In the early 1990s in the USA there were about 6,000 coalbed methane (CBM) wells producing over a billion cubic feet per day, and CBM reserves represent a significant proportion of total onshore gas. The technology is now being disseminated worldwide. A C A Howe International Ltd have been involved in coal exploration, geology, reserves estimation, feasibility studies and mine planning in Indonesia, Venezuela, Australia and the UK since early 1980's and in coal bed methane projects in the UK and Poland since 1990. We are closely involved with all aspects of the first technically successful coal bed methane project in Scotland and possibly the UK, from 1990 through to the drilling, stimulation and production from the first well in 1993, as follows:

	Familiarisation with the developing industry in the USA through visits to drilling, stimulation and production operations and conferences, courses and meetings in Alabama, Wyoming, Colorado and Nova Scotia
	Geological research, selection and negotiation of two hydrocarbons exploration licences for coalbed methane extending to 886 square kilometres in Scotland
	Negotiations and liaison with landowners, coal, gas and oil companies and planning authorities regarding access to land, minerals and data
	Detailed studies of seismic and borehole interpreted structure, stratigraphy, coal geotechnical data and mine abandonment records to select optimum sites for test wells
	Geological prognoses for the first five wells
	The first successful completion of an air-foam flush hydrocarbon well in the UK
	Extensive enquiries to well service companies regarding hydraulic fracture stimulation techniques and costs
	Well site geology including core logging, canister desorption tests, gas analyses, wireline logging and interpretation
	Interpretation of results from the first well to estimate gas in place, and for the design of nitrogen foam-sand and water-sand hydraulic fracture stimulations
	Successful water-sand hydraulic fracture stimulation
	Data compilation, rehabilitation and project review
	Production testing