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Domestic News
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2007 Domestic News
December 13, 2007 - Visit CMOP's New Web site!
The US Environmental Protection Agency's Coalbed Methane Outreach Program (CMOP) has recently updated and renovated its Web site to provide more streamlined access to information about coal mine methane recovery projects and opportunities.
Visit us at http://www.epa.gov/cmop/
Here are a few ways that the site has been improved:
- Easier access to basic information about the program's accomplishments, coal mine methane recovery and utilization, and frequently asked questions.
- Updated listing of CMOP Network contacts in industry and associated organizations worldwide, which can be sorted by organization, contact name, specialty, organization type, and location.
- Streamlined access to our documents, including quick links to our most popular documents and links to useful tools.
- Updated Newsroom with links to our quarterly newsletter (the CBM Extra), relevant domestic and international news briefs, and press releases.
- Revised listing of upcoming conferences and events, including presentations from past EPA-sponsored conferences and workshops.
- Revamped international page with summaries about our work with key partner countries and organizations, as well as links for more information about our involvement in the Methane to Markets Partnership and the Asia Pacific Partnership.
We hope you find our improved Web site to be helpful. Don't forget to bookmark it for future reference!
October 25, 2007 - New Publication Outlines Method to Predict Ventilation Methane Emission Rates
Researchers at the Pittsburgh Research Laboratory of the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) have developed a method to predict the ventilation methane emission rates of U.S. longwall mines, taking into account a number of geological, geographical, and operational factors. The prediction model was developed using ventilation emission data from 63 longwall mines in 10 states for the years between 1985 and 2005, along with corresponding coalbed properties, geographical information, and longwall operation parameters.
This method will facilitate the accurate understanding of ventilation air methane emissions, which is important for designing mine ventilation systems, improving mine safety and identifying opportunities to capture and utilize methane for energy production.
The manuscript that details this new technique and the results has been published in the International Journal of Coal Geology of Elsevier (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01665162) and can be downloaded as a PDF document (in corrected proof form) at the following Web site: http://www.bcsmain.com/mlists/files/sdarticle.pdf (PDF) (17 pp, 94K).
October 18, 2007 - Workshop on Treating CBM Produce Water
Catalyx Fluid Solutions, a division of RG Global, will host an interactive workshop to compare a broad range of technical solutions' abilities to address the critical issues of mitigating environmental impact from CBM produced water and cost. Water treatment expert Mr. Juzer Jangbarwala will lead the workshop titled "Effective Solutions for Treating Coal Bed Methane Produced Water" on Thurs., October 25, 2007, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. at the Wingate Inn, 1801 Cliff Davis Ave., Gillette, Wyoming. The workshop, lunch and refreshments are provided FREE of charge to CBM industry professionals.
While governments in the US, Canada, China and other countries are pushing for increased use of coal bed methane as a clean-burning unconventional fuel to reduce dependence on traditional fossil fuels, environmental concerns and cost have been major factors limiting its use. Mr. Jangbarwala will address the environmental impact, cost and ability to comply with state and federal requirements for discharge water of the various CBM produced water treatment options, including reverse osmosis, ion exchange and electrodialysis and other technologies of interest to participants. Workshop participants are encouraged to discuss water treatment challenges specific to their sites and Mr. Jangbarwala will interactively analyze proposed or possible solutions to determine their technical and economic viability. Mr. Jangbarwala also will offer technical comparisons of new technologies that are being used by some of the largest natural gas and coal bed methane production companies in the Powder River Basin and other areas.
Mr. Jangbarwala holds multiple water treatment patents and founded Hydromatix, Inc., a company that was acquired by BOC Edwards, and Catalyx, Inc., a technology incubator that spun off Catalyx Fluid Solutions (CFS). Currently he is CTO of RG Global which acquired CFS and is a member of multiple United Nations NGO committees on water treatment.
For workshop registration and details, visit http://www.CBMwatertreatment.com, www.rgglife.com or call (714) 630 1805.
October 4, 2007 - First Annual U.S. Coal Mine Methane Conference a Success
The 1st annual U.S. Coal Mine Methane Conference was held September 25-27 in St. Louis, Missouri. Over 80 participants from the coal industry, technology and project developers, and carbon funds attended the conference hosted by EPA's Coalbed Methane Outreach Program (CMOP). The keynote speaker (Dina Kruger, Director of EPA's Climate Change Division) kicked off the event by discussing U.S. Climate Policy Developments. The conference covered the technical, legal, regulatory, policy, and finance issues surrounding coal mine methane (CMM) project development in the United States. Innovative technologies (including ventilation air methane) and case studies of successful CMM projects in the U.S. and overseas were presented. The highly successful conference culminated in a field trip to CMM projects at two abandoned mines in Southern Illinois. Conference proceedings will be posted soon on the CMOP Web site http://www.epa.gov/coalbed.
September 13, 2007 - On-Line Registration for US CMM Conference Closes This Wednesday!
The US Coal Mine Methane (CMM) Conference is only one and a half weeks away! This exciting event, which will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, from September 25 to 27, 2007, will feature experts on methane recovery and utilization from both government and industry. Speakers will share the latest in technology, activities, and finance and regulatory issues affecting CMM project development through project-based examples and case studies. The theme of this year's event is Innovative Developments in CMM Project Opportunities in the US and Around the World. The third day will consist of a field-trip to two abandoned mine methane projects in the Illinois Basin.
The full agenda is available on the conference Web site, where you can also register and obtain hotel information (http://www.epa.gov/cmop/cmm_conference.html). Don't miss your chance to register on-line by Wednesday, September 19. Once this date passes, you must register in person on the first day of the conference to attend. Please note that you must pay a fee when you register if you would like access to refreshments during the event.
The Coalbed Methane Outreach Program (CMOP) would like to sincerely thank our sponsors: Arch Coal; Peabody Natural Gas; Camco International; DTE Methane Resources; Ecosecurities; Grayson Hill Energy; GE AES Greenhouse Gas Services; Guild Associates; and Megtec. We could not have arranged this conference without their generous support.
We look forward to seeing you next week in St. Louis!
August 9, 2007 - New Company Develops Methodology for CMM Projects
On July 25, 2007, GE AES Greenhouse Gas Services, LLC ("GGS") - a new joint venture company formed between AES and GE Financial Services - published a methodology to provide guidance in calculating emission reductions from the capture and destruction of coal mine methane (CMM). GGS will use the methodology to create methane emission reductions through investment in projects and to participate in emission credit transactions within a market that it is creating. A GGS standard of practice was also published to lay out the rules for creating, verifying, marketing and auditing the entire process.
The methodology references international standards including: ISO14064-2:2006 GHG Project Standard; UNFCC consolidated methodologies for coal mine methane ACM0008 v.3; WRI/WBSCD GHG Projects Protocol; and the IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. GGS's standards address issues that are unique to the U.S. economy and standards of practice while maintaining the rigor of the international standards. The GGS methodologies incorporate guidelines for determining baseline emissions, and stringent monitoring protocols for metering and measuring flow that conform to commonly accepted standards developed by third parties such as the Society of Mechanical Engineers (SME) and the American Petroleum Institute (API).
The President of GGS will present on this topic at EPA's US CMM Conference taking place in St. Louis, MO, from September 25-27, 2007. You can access more conference information on our Web site: http://www.epa.gov/cmop/cmm_conference.html
A methodology for landfill gas projects was also published. All material can be downloaded from the GGS Web site (www.ge-aes.com).
Special CBM Note - August 2, 2007 - US CMM Conference Agenda Now Available
The full agenda for the 2007 US Coal Mine Methane (CMM) Conference is now available. The Conference, which will be held in St. Louis from September 25 to 27, 2007, will feature experts on methane recovery and utilization from both government and industry. Speakers will share the latest in technology, techniques, and finance and regulatory issues affecting CMM project development through project-based examples and case studies. The theme of this year's event is Innovative developments in CMM Project Opportunities in the US and Around the World. The full agenda contains speaker names and titles for Day One and Day Two and includes information about the field visit to two abandoned mine methane project facilities in the Illinois Basin that will take place on Day Three.
Please visit the Coalbed Methane Outreach Program (CMOP) Web site to see the agenda and to register for the event: http://www.epa.gov/cmop/cmm_conference.html
July 12, 2007 - CNX and Peabody exchange Coal and CBM Assets
According to press releases issues by both companies last month, a deal to exchange mineral interests and cash has been struck between Peabody Energy and CNX Gas Corporation. Peabody will receive $15 million and 41 million tons of high-Btu coal reserves in exchange for coalbed methane (CBM) and gas rights to approximately 1,037,000 acres.
As a result of the agreement, Peabody subsidiaries will receive cash along with 27 million tons of Pittsburgh seam coal reserves adjacent to the Federal No. 2 Mine in West Virginia and more than 14 million tons of coal reserves in Western Kentucky. In return, CNX subsidiaries and affiliates will receive gas and oil assets in 654,000 acres in the Illinois Basin, 153,000 acres in Northern Appalachia, 171,000 acres in the San Juan Basin, 47,000 acres in the Powder River Basin, and 11,000 acres in the Rockies. There are no proved gas reserves associated with the acreage. The transaction is expected to close before the end of the second quarter.
Peabody Energy is the world's largest private-sector coal company. Currently, a coal mine methane (CMM) recovery and utilization project is operating at Peabody owned Federal No. 2 mine. CNX Gas Corporation is an independent natural gas exploration, development, production and gathering company operating in the Appalachian Basin, in which CONSOL Energy owns a majority position. Currently, CNX operates several CMM recovery and utilization projects associated with CONSOL coal properties. Please refer to the CMOP report "Identifying Opportunities for Methane Recovery and U.S. Coal Mines" for more information on these and other U.S. projects: http://www.epa.gov/cmop/pdf/profiles_2003_final.pdf (PDF) (202 pp, 1.7MB).
July 5, 2007 - OPIC Announces GHG Initiative
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), an agency of the US government that helps US businesses invest overseas, has launched an initiative to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in OPIC-supported projects by 20 percent in the next ten years. To accomplish this goal, OPIC is establishing an annual GHG emissions cap for all new projects to which the agency provides a commitment. If met, this goal will result in emission reductions from 54.7 million tons of CO2 equivalent in OPIC's current portfolio of projects to a cap of 44 million tons in 2016.
OPIC reports that it will consider emission reduction alternatives for all supported projects, such as enhanced energy efficiency and the application of new technologies for the capture, storage, and recovery of greenhouse gases. Overall, the agency will shift its emphasis to support more renewable and energy-efficient projects. OPIC is also planning to enhance its accounting and reporting of GHG emissions for all existing supported projects as well as the projected emissions for each new project receiving an OPIC commitment.
OPIC has released a fact sheet on the initiative which can be found at http://www.opic.gov.
June 14, 2007 - CMOP Launches CMM Projects Database
The Coalbed Methane Outreach Program (CMOP), at the request of the Methane to Markets Partnership Coal Subcommittee, has developed a web-based international database of coal mine methane (CMM) recovery and utilization projects. The database contains general and, where available, technical information on over 200 projects around the world. Data was compiled using publicly available resources and in consultation with international industry experts.
The database contains several user-friendly features. For example, users can sort the list of projects alphabetically by one of five variables: Country, Region, Mine Name, Project Type, or Mine Status. A help document provides definitions of these terms along with other useful information. You can access the database from the M2M webpage: http://www.methanetomarkets.org/resources/coalmines/index.htm
If you are involved in a CMM recovery and utilization project that is not included in the database, or if you have additional information on an already listed project, we want to hear from you! Please fill out and submit the data submission form available on the Web site to ensure that this database stays as comprehensive and accurate as possible. In addition, please contact Pamela Franklin (franklin.pamela@epa.gov) with any comments or suggestions on this tool.
May 17, 2007
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION NOW AVAILABLE!
EPA'S COALBED METHANE OUTREACH PROGRAM
Announces the
US COAL MINE METHANE CONFERENCE
SEPTEMBER 25 - 27, 2007
Millennium Hotel, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
On September 25 and 26, 2007, US EPA's Coalbed Methane Outreach Program will organize and sponsor a two-day conference covering key issues in coal mine methane project development in the US. Please plan to join us to find out from industry leaders about:
- New and innovative projects that have been developed
- Market and regulatory outlook for future project development
- Cutting-edge technologies
On September 27, there will be an opportunity to participate in a field site visit to projects at abandoned mines in the Illinois Basin, hosted by Grayson Hill Energy. A notional agenda, detailed logistical information, and registration page are now posted on EPA's Web site: http://www.epa.gov/cmop/cmm_conference.html. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Please contact Ms. Charlee Bergamo (cbergamo@ravenridge.com) at (970) 256-2645. International participants welcome!
April 5, 2007 - SAVE THE DATE! EPA ANNOUNCES U.S. COAL MINE METHANE CONFERENCE
SEPTEMBER 25 — 27, 2007
Millennium Hotel, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.
On September 25 and 26, 2007, EPA's Coalbed Methane Outreach Program will organize and sponsor a two-day conference covering key issues in coal mine methane project development in the U.S.. Please plan to join us to find out from industry leaders about:
- New and innovative projects that have been developed
- Market and regulatory outlook for future project development
- Cutting-edge technologies
On September 27, those who sign up can attend a field site visit to projects at abandoned mines in the Illinois Basin, hosted by Grayson Hill Energy.
Sponsorship opportunities are available. Please contact Ms. Charlee Bergamo (cbergamo@ravenridge.com) at (970) 256-2645.
March 29, 2007 - Jim Walter Resources Joins CCX
On March 15, Jim Walter Resources, Inc. issued a press release to announce that it has joined the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX), North America's first and only voluntary, legally binding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction registry and trading program. As a leading producer and exporter of metallurgical coal, steam coal, furnace and foundry coke, and other coal-based products, Jim Walter Resources is the first coal company to join CCX.
By signing on to CCX, Jim Walter Resources has committed to reducing GHG emissions through extensive methane drainage operations. "Jim Walter Resources has been an innovator in the capture and sale of methane gas in Alabama's Black Warrior Basin", said CEO George Richmond. "We are turning methane gas into an energy source instead of allowing it to escape into the atmosphere. We are pleased to become a member of the Chicago Climate Exchange as we exercise our responsibility toward our global green initiatives."
According to EPA analysis, Jim Walter Resources has been a leader in the development of coal mine methane recovery projects in the United States. The company's Blue Creek mines – the Nos. 4, 5, and 7 mines – are currently recovering and selling approximately 23 million cubic feet of gas per day.
February 8, 2007 - Coal Mining in the News
Profile of West Virginia coal miners
A January 21, 2007, article in the Washington Post Magazine profiles the lives of coal miners at several underground coal mines in West Virginia, a key coal-mining state in the United States.To access the article, see: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/16/AR2007011601066.html
January 25, 2007 – REVISED
Note: The version previously sent out incorrectly noted the amount of grant funding for this project
CONSOL Energy Demonstrates New Micro-turbine Using Coal Mine Methane
CONSOL Energy Inc., along with several partners, has successfully demonstrated a first-of-a-kind, micro-turbine generator configured to use unprocessed coal mine methane gas directly from an underground source to generate electricity. CONSOL Energy partnered with CNX Gas Corporation and Ingersoll Rand Energy Systems to install this unique unit. Sited at CONSOL Energy's Bailey Mine, one of the largest underground coal mines in the world, the unit uses coal mine methane liberated directly from the underground workings to generate electricity.
"We've been able to demonstrate that this unit is an innovative way to harvest and use a greenhouse gas which would normally be vented into the atmosphere," said Nick DeIuliis, president and chief executive officer, CNX Gas Corporation. "If the economic evaluation is positive, this technology can be applied in isolated coalfields lacking access to electricity transmission lines or at individual commercial power generation sites."
The micro-turbine unit — a small, mobile electricity generator designed and built by Ingersoll Rand Energy Systems and modified for the project by CONSOL Energy R&D — produces about 70 kilowatts of electricity, which is used by the Bailey Mine operations. This pilot project, which received a grant of $171,610 from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, will recover an otherwise lost resource and help curb greenhouse gas emissions.