Coalbed methane,also simply called gas in coal mines,is difficult to explore inChina due to duplicate administrations other than due to technical problems.WhenI was an engineer in an air separation factory of Beijing a dozen years ago,I learnedthat the central government encouraged companies and research organizationsto develop the utilization of coalbed methane.However,still today,there is noactual progress in commercial utilization while the whole country is in a crazy heatto invest in the business of coal-to-oil.Coalbed methane,a clean energy,remainsunexploited as an energy source and continues to make trouble for local produc-ers of coal.It is the central government who caused the barrier to the developmentof coalbed methane,according to some experts who have worked in coal mining.The exploration rights for coal and coalbed methane in a single coal mine can beowned by two or more different companies. Coalbed methane, also simply called gas in coal mines, is difficult to explore inChina due to duplicate administrations other than due to technical problems .WhenI was an engineer in an air separation factory of Beijing a dozen years ago, I learnedthat the central government engaging companies and research organizationsto develop the utilization of coalbed methane.However, still today, there is noactual progress in commercial utilization while the whole country is in a crazy heatto invest in the business of coal-to-oil.Coalbed methane, a clean energy, remainsunexploited as an energy source and continues to make trouble for local produc-ers of coal. It is the central government who caused the barrier to the development of coalbed methane, according to some experts who have worked in coal mining. exploration authority for coal and coalbed methane in a single coal mine can beowned by two or more different companies.