Proposed measures for deep coalbed methane exploration and production practices and high-quality development in China

Coalbed methane (CBM), as an important supplement to natural gas supply, is of great significance for ensuring national energy security and promoting a low-carbon transition in the energy structure. In recent years, strategic breakthroughs in deep CBM have driven China's CBM industry into a new stage of development characterized by "deep reservoirs, high yield, and comprehensive benefits." Based on exploration and development practices of deep CBM in the Ordos Basin, this study systematically reviews its unique geological patterns and points out that these breakthroughs have relied on three core innovations: transformative advances in geological theory, a strategic reassessment of resource potential, and systematic innovations in engineering technology. To address current bottlenecks faced by the industry, such as difficulty in predicting sweet spots, rapid production decline, and low recovery rates, systematic suggestions for high-quality development of deep CBM are proposed. At the technical level, it is necessary to strengthen research on enrichment patterns, develop differentiated fracturing and efficient drainage and production technologies, and form a comprehensive standard system. At the policy level, it is suggested to strengthen investment in technological innovation elements, provide policy support, connect the "exploration, evaluation, and production" chain, explore and promote multi-gas combined production, and improve development efficiency and comprehensive resource utilization. Through systematic institutional construc- tion and innovation-driven development, the deep CBM industry is expected to achieve a leap from strategic breakthroughs to large-scale benefits, becoming an important strategic successor resource in China's natural gas supply system.