On January 25, Zhang Xing, Deputy Director-General of the Comprehensive Department and Spokesperson of the National Energy Administration, stated that the development and utilization of coalbed methane offers multiple benefits, including ensuring safe production in coal mines, increasing the supply of clean energy, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. “We must intensify efforts to explore and develop oil and gas resources and boost reserves and production,” said Zhang Xing. The National Energy Administration is earnestly implementing the work arrangements made by the Party Central Committee and the State Council, fully leveraging the role of the inter-ministerial coordination mechanism for coal mine gas control, and working together with all relevant parties to promote the scaled-up development of the coalbed methane industry. In 2023, coalbed methane production reached 11.77 billion cubic meters, representing a year-on-year increase of 20.5%. Coalbed methane accounted for approximately 5% of China’s domestic natural gas supply, and its incremental contribution reached 18%, making it an important supplement to the country’s natural gas supply. Specifically, significant progress has been made in the following areas:
　　First, proven reserves have increased rapidly. We have encouraged key coalbed methane enterprises to step up their exploration investments. In 2023, the nation’s investment in coalbed methane exploration exceeded 3 billion yuan, and newly proven geological reserves reached approximately 290 billion cubic meters. Second, capacity-building efforts are accelerating. We have refined mechanisms for advancing key projects and ensured that project construction tasks are effectively implemented. In 2023, the nation’s investment in coalbed methane development surpassed 10 billion yuan, with newly built production capacity exceeding 3 billion cubic meters per year. Third, technological innovation has yielded significant results. Major breakthroughs have been made in both theoretical understanding and technical approaches for deep coalbed methane exploration and development. Innovative technologies—including precise evaluation of favorable areas, efficient and rapid drilling and completion, extreme-volume fracturing, and integrated gas production across the entire lifecycle—have been developed. At the Dagiji block operated by PetroChina, a pilot group of 32 wells achieved an average daily production of over 50,000 cubic meters per well for the entire year. Fourth, supporting policies continue to improve. The central government continues to allocate funds to support the development and utilization of coalbed methane and other unconventional natural gases. Preferential policies such as the “collect first, refund later” value-added tax scheme and reduced income tax rates remain in place. We are further refining mineral rights management, simplifying procedures for integrated exploration and exploitation of oil and gas resources, and encouraging the joint exploration and extraction of coalbed methane alongside other mineral resources. Key provinces and regions are proactively introducing a series of locally tailored support policies. In 2024, the National Energy Administration will earnestly implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, taking into account the overarching goals of ensuring energy security, stable supply, and a green, low-carbon transition. We will adopt multiple measures to boost coalbed methane reserve expansion and production growth. We will strengthen technology-driven innovation, leverage the roles of enterprises and various innovation platforms, and carry out targeted research on key coalbed methane technologies. We will promote stable production and sustained output of medium- and shallow-depth coalbed methane, expand large-scale development of deep coalbed methane, accelerate the rolling exploration and development of the two major industrial bases—the Qinshui Basin and the eastern margin of the Ordos Basin—and actively explore new areas for industrial development. We will reinforce the provision of essential factors, work closely with relevant parties to ensure rigorous policy implementation, and provide strong support for industrial development in terms of mineral rights, land use, fiscal subsidies, and financial loans.
　　In 2023, the energy sector thoroughly implemented the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, coordinated efforts to ensure energy security and promote a green and low-carbon transition, effectively leveraged the role of energy investment in driving economic growth, continuously tapped into the investment potential of coal, power, oil, and gas infrastructure, and accelerated the physical progress of new-energy and new-business-model projects. As a result, energy investment maintained rapid growth throughout the year. According to monitoring data, the total investment completed for key energy projects under construction nationwide and planned to commence within the year reached approximately 2.8 trillion yuan, with an annual growth rate 1.6 percentage points higher than the same period last year. Overall, energy investment and construction throughout the year exhibited the following key features: First, the growth rate of national energy investment remained relatively high. The National Energy Administration actively promoted the construction of major national energy projects, ensuring that energy investment continued to grow rapidly. By category, investment completed for conventional projects and new-business-model projects increased by 16% and 152.8%, respectively, compared to the previous year. By region, investment completed in eastern, central, and western regions grew by 28.5%, 13.6%, and 22.5%, respectively, year-on-year. Second, investment in new energy sources grew rapidly. Investment completed in new energy sources rose by more than 34% year-on-year. Investment in solar power generation exceeded 670 billion yuan, with centralized photovoltaic projects in three provinces (autonomous regions)—Yunnan, Hebei, and Xinjiang—experiencing year-on-year growth rates exceeding 100%. Wind power investment surpassed 380 billion yuan, with accelerated investment release in onshore wind power projects in three provinces (autonomous regions): Liaoning, Gansu, and Xinjiang, as well as concentrated investment releases in large-scale offshore wind power projects in two provinces: Guangdong and Shandong. Third, investment in supporting and regulating power sources grew relatively quickly. Investment completed in supporting and regulating power sources increased by more than 12% year-on-year. Construction of nuclear power projects is being comprehensively advanced, and newly approved projects within the year are accelerating the formation of physical work volumes. Investment in large-scale hydropower projects continues to recover and improve. Fourth, investment in new energy business models showed strong growth momentum. Integrated energy investment grew rapidly, with a number of source-grid-load-storage integrated and multi-energy complementary projects in the northwest region accelerating their advancement. Electrochemical energy storage investment surged in six provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities): Xinjiang, Gansu, Hunan, Shandong, Chongqing, and Guangdong. A number of green-power-to-hydrogen projects in Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang are progressing smoothly and in an orderly manner.