China's largest coalbed methane field sets new daily production record

Taiyuan — China’s first large-scale coalbed methane field, the Daning-Jixian block in Shanxi Province in northern China, has achieved a record daily production capacity of 11 million cubic metres, according to PetroChina Coalbed Methane Co., Ltd. on Sunday 15 March.

Located on the eastern edge of the Ordos Basin, the field serves as a national demonstration project for deep coalbed methane exploitation. Development of the field, which has proven reserves of 400 billion cubic metres, began in 2019.

In 2025, the field produced a total of 3.05 billion cubic metres of coalbed methane, making it the largest field of its kind in China to date.

A second phase capacity expansion at the block is currently underway and is expected to add 1.5 billion cubic metres to annual production capacity.

As a non-conventional natural gas, coalbed methane is regarded as a clean and strategically important energy resource. Its utilisation can help reduce mining risks, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and address gas shortages.

This resource is widely distributed across various major coal-producing basins in China, including the Ordos Basin, Sichuan Basin, and Junggar Basin. The resource is considered abundant in China, with estimated reserves exceeding 40 trillion cubic metres.