On the afternoon of January 22, Henan Energy Group held a planning meeting on the development and utilization of coalbed methane (CBM) and coal mine gas at Guolong Building in Zhengzhou. Yang Heng, General Manager, Deputy Party Secretary, and Vice Chairman of the Group, attended the meeting and delivered a speech. The meeting was chaired by Vice General Manager Jia Mingkui, with Vice General Manager Jiao Zhenying also in attendance.

Yang Heng noted that the development and utilization of CBM is a practical necessity for controlling major coal mine safety hazards, an inevitable requirement for building the province’s primary platform for energy security, and a long-term pillar supporting the green and low-carbon energy transition. He stressed the need to fully recognize both the immediate and long-term significance of CBM development, take into account the geological characteristics of coal seams in the Group’s mines, and actively adapt to new trends in CBM industrialization and coal mine gas control. Guided by the principles of “disaster prevention first, turning waste into value” and “developing new energy for green growth,” the Group should formulate tailored development and utilization plans on a “site-specific, enterprise-specific” basis, promote full gas extraction where feasible to eliminate hazards and ensure safety, and achieve synchronized development with strong safeguards, innovation-driven progress, and efficient implementation, thereby supporting the Group’s high-quality development through tangible CBM outcomes.

Yang emphasized the need to better leverage resource endowment advantages, strengthen coal mine gas extraction and utilization, enhance safety assurance capabilities, and cultivate new drivers of economic growth. He called for moderately forward-looking top-level design, the preparation of a dedicated CBM development and utilization plan, and the clarification of development goals, priority areas, technical pathways, and safeguard measures to ensure alignment with the Group’s overall new energy strategy. He also urged adherence to innovation while maintaining sound fundamentals, seizing the development window, systematically identifying key technical challenges, concentrating resources on R&D, and increasing investment to ensure adequate support in technology, capital, personnel, and policy. Further priorities include improving institutional mechanisms, strengthening professional teams, implementing incentive policies for technical staff, actively seeking policy support from higher authorities, and enhancing coordination with local governments to secure greater support in areas such as resource allocation, fiscal subsidies, and land use. All units were instructed to attach great importance to CBM development, establish coordination mechanisms, clarify responsibilities, strengthen supervision and assessment, and ensure effective implementation of all tasks.

At the meeting, Henan Energy and its coal subsidiaries, CBM companies, Pingmei Co., Ltd., and Chaolan Energy Technology Co., Ltd. reported on their progress in CBM and coal mine gas development and utilization. Participants exchanged views and put forward suggestions on further increasing gas extraction volumes, extraction rates, and utilization efficiency.