Tools and Resources Library

The Coalbed Methane Outreach Program (CMOP) strives to provide stakeholders with the necessary tools and resources to maximize profitable methane reductions.

On this page you will find:

• General Tools
• Resources by Project Phase
  • Identify Opportunities
  • Assess Methane and Revenue
  • Develop and Operate Projects
• Resources by Coal Mine Methane (CMM) Source Type
  • Active Underground Mines: Drained Gas
  • Active Underground Mines: Ventilation Air Methane
  • Active Surface Mines
  • Abandoned Underground Mines
• International Resources
• Additional Non-EPA  Resources

General Tools

• Updated Coal Mine Methane Units Converter

  Converts methane (CH₄) emissions to metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO₂e) and a variety of other measurement units and greenhouse gas (GHG) equivalencies.

• Basics of Coal Mine Methane Online Training

  A self-directed course that covers why methane is in coal, how methane is extracted, and the beneficial uses of captured methane.

Resources by Project Phase

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Identify Opportunities

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• Updated Map of U.S. Coal Mine Methane (CMM) Project Opportunities

  Provides information about current projects and potential opportunities to develop CMM recovery and utilization projects at U.S. coal mines.  The map now incorporates Tribal lands and Alaska village data from EPA’s Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool (EJScreen). CMOP provides this information to help users identify both current and potential coal mine methane (CMM) reduction projects near Tribal populations that are worth additional consideration for community outreach or engagement. 

  TOOLINTERACTIVE MAP

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• Coal Mine Methane Developments in the United States (July 2019)

  Provides an overview of U.S. CMM emissions and projects, as well as federal policies and state incentives for CMM capture and utilization. 

  REPORTPDFTRENDS

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• Conducting Pre-Feasibility Studies for Coal Mine Methane Projects Training

  Introduces principles for assessing potential projects to capture and use CMM.

  TRAININGCOURSEFINANCINGPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

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• CMM Recovery and Use: Opportunities at Western U.S. Mines (July 2019)

  Summarizes the opportunities for CMM recovery and use at coal mines in the western United States, including case studies.

  REPORTPDFPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

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• Coal Mine Methane Mitigation and Utilization Technologies and Project Profiles (November 2011)

  Details CMM mitigation and utilization technologies and project profiles, including company information and points of contact.

  CASE STUDYPDFPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

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Assess Methane and Revenue

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• Emerging Incentives for the Development of CMM Emission Reduction Projects (July 2019)

  Summarizes how mines can benefit financially from avoided energy costs and/or from revenues generated from CMM recovery and use or destruction.

  REPORTPDFEMISSIONS REDUCTIONFINANCING

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• Coal Mine Methane (CMM) Finance Guide (July 2019)

  Summarizes challenges and solutions to financing CMM projects.

  REPORTPDFCARBON CREDITSFINANCINGPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

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• State Renewable Energy Programs (July 2019)

  Summarizes state renewable energy programs in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Utah, Indiana, and Colorado.

  REPORTPDFEMISSIONS REDUCTION

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• Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Programs that Include Coal Mine Methane (January 2021)

  Summarizes greenhouse gas emissions trading programs and compares their key features as they pertain to CMM emissions reduction projects.

  REPORTPDFEMISSIONS TRADINGREGISTRIESOFFSETS

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• Coal Mine Methane Cash Flow Model

  Evaluates the potential financial viability of recovering and utilizing CMM at a specific site.

  TOOLEXCEL-BASEDFINANCINGPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

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Develop and Operate Projects

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• CMOP Program Event and Webinar Recordings

  Provides content from past webinars, conferences, and other events, including recordings and slide presentations.

  PRESENTATIONSWEBINARCONFERENCEEVENT

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• Coal Mine Methane Recovery: A Primer (July 2019)

  Reviews the main pre-mining and post-mining CMM drainage methods with associated costs, water disposal options, and in-mine and surface gas collection systems.

  REPORTPDFPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

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• Coal Mine Methane: A Review of Capture and Utilization Practices with Benefits to Mining Safety and to Greenhouse Gas Reduction (March 2011)

  Reviews the technical aspects of CMM capture, methods for capturing methane using boreholes, and benefits of capturing and controlling CMM for mine safety and emissions reductions.

  STUDYPDFPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

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• Coal Mine Methane Flaring: Technology and Case Studies (January 2021)

  Presents information related to CMM flaring, including information on three projects in the United States, Mexico, and China.

  CASE STUDYPDFPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

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• Flaring of Coal Mine Methane: Assessing Appropriate Opportunities Policy White Paper (November 2013)

  Summarizes the approach of the Global Methane Initiative Coal Subcommittee towards CMM and abandoned mine methane (AMM) projects that involve mitigation-only of drained gas through flaring.

  REPORTPDFPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

Resources by CMM Source Type

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Active Underground Mines: Drained Gas

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• Identifying Opportunities for Methane Recovery at U.S. Coal Mines: Profiles of Selected Gassy Underground Coal Mines 2002–2016 (July 2019)

  Provides information about specific opportunities to develop methane recovery and use projects at large, underground coal mines in the United States and profiles of the 35 gassiest coal mines.

  REPORTPDFPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

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• Coal Mine Methane Recovery at Active and Abandoned U.S. Coal Mines: Current Projects and Potential Opportunities (July 2019)

  Identifies current and potential methane utilization project opportunities at U.S. coal mines.

  REPORTPDFPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

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• Case Study: Methane Recovery at Non-Coal Mines (September 2013)

  Details two methane recovery project case studies in the United States and South Africa.

  CASE STUDYPDFPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

Active Underground Mines: Ventilation Air Methane

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• Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) Utilization Technologies (July 2019)

  Provides an overview of VAM technologies and resources and details VAM case studies.

  REPORTCASE STUDYPDFPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

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• U.S. Underground Coal Mine Ventilation Air Methane Exhaust Characterization (August 2017)

  Identifies prospective mines and shafts based on publicly available shaft data to encourage VAM project development.

  REPORTPDFPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

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• A 2012 Update on the World VAM Oxidizer Technology Market (June 2012)

  Discusses global VAM emissions, technology options, the state of the market, and factors that lead to successful VAM projects.

  STUDYPDFPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

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• Ventilation Air Methane Measurement Methodologies (February 2011)

  Summarizes the discussions and findings regarding measuring and characterizing ventilation air flows to assess the viability of potential VAM projects at underground coal mines.

  REPORTPDFPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

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• Coal Mine Ventilation Air Emissions: Project Development Planning and Mitigation Technologies (August 2010)

  Discusses global VAM emissions, VAM measurement requirements, recent shaft data for gassy U.S. mines, and technology options for the recovery and utilization of VAM.

  STUDYPDFPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

Active Surface Mines

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• U.S. Surface Mines Emissions Assessment: Update (February 2015)

  Outlines ways to improve the surface mine methane emissions estimation methodology through a review of current information and assumptions.

  STUDYPDFEMISSIONS

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• Case Study: Methane Recovery at Surface Mines in the United States (March 2014)

  Details a methane recovery case study at a U.S. surface mine.

  CASE STUDYPDFPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

Abandoned Underground Mines

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• Identifying Opportunities for Methane Recovery at U.S. Coal Mines: Profiles of Selected Gassy Underground Coal Mines 2002–2016 (July 2019)

  Provides information about specific opportunities to develop methane recovery and use projects at large, underground coal mines in the United States and profiles of the 35 gassiest coal mines.

  REPORTPDFPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

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• Abandoned Coal Mine Methane Opportunities Database (July 2017)

  Examines the magnitude of AMM emissions in the United States to assess the technical feasibility of AMM projects.

  STUDYPDFPROJECT DEVELOPMENT

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• Methane Emissions from Abandoned Coal Mines in the U.S.: Emission Inventory Methodology and 1990–2002 Emissions Estimates (April 2004)

  Outlines a methodology for determining methane emissions from abandoned underground coal mines and uses this methodology to quantify methane emissions from abandoned U.S. mines for years 1990 through 2002.

  REPORTPDFEMISSIONS

International Resources

• Coal Mine Methane International Activities

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Additional Non-EPA Resources

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• Short-Term Energy Outlook
  U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) | U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

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• United States Coalbed Methane Maps
  U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) | U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

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• Mine Data Retrieval System
  U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) | Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)