Frequently Asked Question

Coal Bed Methane (CBM)

Kristin Keith and Jim Bauder, Montana State University-Bozeman
John Wheaton, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (2003)
What is coal bed methane (CBM)?
Where does CBM exist?
How much methane gas is estimated will be extracted from the Powder River Basin?
How do they estimate the amount of methane gas which will come from a region underlain by coal?
How do gas companies extract methane from a coal seam?
Are coal seams aquifers?
I've heard people talk about aquifer drawdown from CBM development. What does this mean?
Some individuals say that the depleted aquifers in the Powder River Basin will be recharged within a matter of years, while others think the time might be more on the scale of a thousand years or more. Who is right?
I heard that almost all CBM product water discharged to the land surface eventually reaches the aquifer from which it was pumped. Is this true?
Will CBM development reduce flow to streams, springs and wells?
Why are people concerned with CBM product water?
What is saline water and why is it considered saline?
What is sodic water and why is it considered sodic?
Is CBM product water in Montana saline or sodic?
Are some soils more sensitive than others to saline and/or sodic water?
Is it true you can irrigate crops with CBM water?
What are the current management practices for disposal of CBM product water?
How can holding ponds hold all that water being produced from CBM development?
Can CBM product water be treated to make it more usable?