Patent ID: 7556094

Claim:
A method for converting in-situ coal to biogenic methane, the method comprising: in-situ injecting of at least one treatment agent into existing fractures or cleats within an in-situ coal seam, the least one treatment agent selected from the group consisting of acids, bases oxidants, and solvents into the solid coal matrix transforming a fraction of coal into coal-derived substrates, increasing the available dissolved organic carbon in the coal-derived substrates, and enhancing the production of secondary biogenic coal bed methane; in-situ converting of a fraction of the solid coal matrix into coal-derived substrates using one of depolymerization and solubilization; introducing nutrients into the coal-derived substrates; and biologically converting the coal-derived substrates into methane; wherein the acids are selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and nitric acid.