[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Knalus

You know what is also not very well understood? Methane seepage and leekage from coal mining. You know all those coal gas explosions that keep getting coal miners in trouble? Methane. I'm pretty sure that for every ton of coal mined, there is a 100% leekage of the methane that was associated with that ton of coal, both sitting in the cleats/fractures of the coal seam, as well as desorbed off of the coal itself, not to mention the emissions coming into the mine from depressurized un-mined coal seams. The same kind and volume of methane that is captured in coal-bed methane wells. So, for example, if a coal-bed methane well leaks, even at the ridiculous 15% value, that's still a potential 85% reduction in emissions from that same coal bed being mined.

I understand that there may be some waste in the production of natural gas, but don't for a minute think that this seepage is in any way comparable to the volume of methane involved in open pit coal mining, or mountain top removal, or even deep shaft mining.

Luckily no one is extolling the virtues of strip mining coal as an effective means of lowering green house gas production.