Shell, Luca Tech in CBM Extraction R&D Partnership

Royal Dutch Shell, which has CBM assets in China and Australia, in conjunction with Luca Technologies, is planning to device a method to extract natural gas from depleted coal seams.

Both companies began the first phase of research and development partnership in December.

Coalbed methane is a form of natural gas extracted from coal beds. In recent decades it has become an important source of energy in United States, Canada, and other countries. Australia has rich deposits where it is known as coal seam gas.