Basic HTML Version
35
Sustainability Report 2011
Coalbed Methane and Coal-mine Methane Activities
Based on the experience gained in the harvesting and use of LFG, we were able to
expand this pioneering role with the opening of China’s first large-scale coalbed
methane (CBM) liquefaction plant in Shanxi. CBM, a natural gas found in coalbeds,
was, like LFG, traditionally considered a waste material and flared off on site.
However using cryogenic technology developed in conjunction with a research institute,
our liquefaction plant converts the purified CBM into liquid form by freezing it to
-162 degrees Celsius. The resulting liquefied coalbed methane (LCBM) is 600 times
more concentrated in energy intensity, making it easily transportable by road tankers
to wherever it is needed. Making history when the first tankers began to roll out in
December 2008, the plant is now fully commissioned – with the opening of its phase-
two facility in March 2011, it reached its full production capacity of 250 million cubic
metres a year.
Environmental Performance Clean Energy
In view of the benefits of LCBM – it is
a safe and environmentally-friendly
energy providing a clean and quality
fuel that is easily transportable, the
extraction of CBM provides a safer
working environment for miners,
and it turns a highly polluting waste
material into a valuable resource – we
are exploring further opportunities in
this market and are currently studying
possibilities at a CBM well in Guizhou.
In 2009, our LCBM plant was
chosen as one of 50 Clean
Energy Projects with the
Highest Investment Value in
China by the Financial Times
and the China Chamber of
International Commerce.