TAIYUAN, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- China's coal-rich province of Shanxi extracted 960 million cubic meters of coalbed methane in October, marking a new record high for a single month's output, which also accounted for about 80 percent of China's total during the period.
During the first ten months, Shanxi extracted a total of 9.16 billion cubic meters of coalbed methane, up 16 percent year on year, said the provincial statistics bureau on Friday.
As northern China enters the heating season, Shanxi has stepped up coalbed methane production to meet rising energy demands for winter heating.
Utilizing coalbed methane, a byproduct of coal, can reduce mining risks, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and ease gas shortages.
Shanxi is one of several Chinese regions with abundant coalbed methane resources. It houses about a third of China's estimated reserves of coalbed methane. By the end of 2022, the province's proven coalbed methane reserves had surpassed 760 billion cubic meters. ■
