TAIYUAN, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- As of the end of August, China's first large-scale coalbed methane field, the Daning-Jixian block in northern Shanxi Province, had surpassed 4 billion cubic meters in its cumulative production, setting a new domestic record, according to its developer, PetroChina Coalbed Methane Co., Ltd.

As an unconventional natural gas, coalbed methane is considered a clean and strategic energy resource. Its utilization can help reduce mining risks, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and ease gas shortages.

Shanxi holds abundant coalbed methane reserves, with an estimated 8.31 trillion cubic meters of resources buried at depths of less than 2,000 meters, nearly one-third of the national total. Currently, the Daning-Jixian block produces over 6.5 million cubic meters of gas per day, a more than 50 percent increase from the same period last year, demonstrating strong growth momentum.

The coalbed methane field is located on the eastern edge of the Ordos Basin, with its resources buried at an average depth of 2,130 meters. The total estimated coalbed methane resources of the field amount to about 600 billion cubic meters. ■