Coalbed Methane: Louisiana's Unexplored Energy Resource

Oil & Natural Gas / Coalbed Methane / Exploration

Date posted: 12/22/09

The Central Louisiana Coalbed Methane Basin (CELCOM) is part of a much larger coalbed methane basin, the Tertiary Coalbed Methane Basin, which covers parts of seven states. It is given its own name primarily for the purpose of reference in communication. In the entirety of the Tertiary Coalbed Methane Basin, there appears to be only one coalbed methane gas-producing well. This well was completed in the CELCOM in 1989. Within the United States, there are 16 known coalbed methane basins that contain approximately 8,000 methane gas-producing wells. To date, coalbed methane production accounts for about 6% of the national total of gas production.