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In September 2008, ''The Independent'' newspaper reported how preliminary scientific findings suggested that massive deposits of sub-sea methane were bubbling to the surface as the Arctic region becomes warmer and its ice retreats. This [[methane time-bomb]] is seen as extremely worrying, because it could be a positive feedback mechanism, where the more the Arctic melts the more methane is released, which could put us on the path to runaway [[global warming]].<ref> Steve Connor, [http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/exclusive-the-methane-time-bomb-938932.html "Exclusive: The methane time bomb"], ''The Independent'', September 23, 2008 </ref>
==Coal Methane releases from coal mining and methane==
Coal mining accounts for about 10 percent of US releases of methane.<ref name="EPA Methane">U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ,[http://www.epa.gov/methane/sources.html "Methane: sources and emissions,"] U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website, October 20th, 2006.</ref> It is the fourth largest source of methane, following landfills, natural gas systems, and enteric fermentation.<ref name="EPA Methane"/>
* '''Post-Mining Activities:''' Some methane remains in the coal after mining and is released during subsequent processing and transportation.
* '''Abandoned Mines:''' Methane emissions from abandoned mines are not quantified and included in U.S. inventory estimates, but may be significant.
==Coalbed methane==
[[Coal seam gas projects in Australia|Coal seam gas]] (abbreviated "CSG") is formed by the geological process of heating and compressing plant matter to create coal. Over millions of years, methane forms within the coal. The methane is trapped by water in the gaps and cracks between the coal molecules. These gaps are known as cleats. Australia has been found to have many deposits, and is increasingly mining them through [[hydraulic fracturing]], also known as [[fracking]].<ref name="bg"/>
CSG is a form of [[coalbed methane]] (CBM), or coalbed gas, and is a type of [[natural gas]] extracted from coal beds. In recent decades it has become an increasingly used source of energy in Australia, as well as the United States, Canada, and other countries.<ref name="bg">{{cite web|url=http://www.bg-group.com/Careers/graduates/howtoapply/Pages/JargonBuster.aspx|title=Jargon Buster|publisher=BG Group|accessdate=18 July 2010}}</ref>
==Methane and coal mining explosions==
===Related SourceWatch Articles===
*[[Coalbed methane]]
*[[Coal dust]]
*[[Fracking]]
