Pp. 319-324 M.P. Yurova THE PROSPECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO USE COAL BED METHANE AS UNCONVENTIONAL ENERGY SOURCE M.P. Yurova Oil and Gas Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia Abstract. <...> The article shows that the gas from coal beds (as unconventional source) in the near future may become one of the most important suppliers of energy, not only in the coal regions of the country, but because of its demand, in the market conjuncture. <...> The emphasis is put on materials of Russian researchers who seriously study the problem of methane production from coal beds in Russian regions. <...> At this, a large amount of pollutants is ejected into the atmosphere, worsening environment and increasing the greenhouse effect. <...> More than 85 % of the gas is in the adsorbed in state (linked to the rock matrix). <...> The article show the basic differences of gas production from coal beds from the development of the conventional gas deposits. <...> Coal beds can be of different brands. <...> The most valuable are strongly metamorphosed coals (vitrinite reflectance of 80 % or more). <...> Being a rock of organic origin, coal is a fractured porous media. <...> Cracks are formed either during coalification of rock or by tectonic motions, so the layers are divided into blocks. <...> The cracks and micropores have free gas, moving in them in the filtration mode. <...> There are several stages of methane extraction, corresponding to different stress-strain states of the formation. <...> The paper gives a value (83.7 billion m3 ) of gas resources in coal basins of Russia. <...> Pilot commercial production of gas from coal beds has been carried out in Russia from 2010 on the Taldinsky field of Kuzbass, where it is simultaneously utilized for local needs. <...> Keywords: unconventional gas, specifics of gas-bearing coal, development methods, resources of the country, prospects DOI: 10.18599/grs.18.4.10 For citation: Yurova M.P. The Prospects and Opportunities to Use Coal Bed Methane as Unconventional Energy Source. <...> According to the forecast of the International Energy Agency, demand for energy and electricity will grow by 50-70 %, respectively, in 2020 (Agapov et al., 2002). <...> The specific amount of natural gas in the energy balance of the world in 2030 could reach about 30 % (Khryukin et al., 2009). <...> One such source is <...>