Now Open for Comment: Methane Capture from Abandoned Coal Mines

The Open Carbon Protocol (OCP) is pleased to announce that a new methodology — Quantifying Emission Reductions from Methane Capture and Utilisation at Abandoned Underground Coal Mines — has entered a 30-day public comment period. We invite the global community to review the methodology and share feedback before it is finalised.

Why Abandoned Coal Mines Matter

Abandoned underground coal mines are a persistent and often underestimated source of fugitive methane emissions. Long after mining operations cease, residual coal seams and surrounding strata continue to release methane into the atmosphere through ventilation shafts, adits, and surface fractures. Because methane is a potent greenhouse gas — with a global warming potential many times that of CO₂ over a 20-year horizon — these unmanaged emissions represent a meaningful and addressable climate risk.

Capturing and utilising this methane, whether for energy generation, industrial use, or controlled destruction, offers a verifiable pathway to significant emission reductions. A robust, credible methodology is essential to unlock high-integrity carbon credits for these projects and to ensure that claimed reductions are real, measurable, and permanent.

What the Methodology Covers

Eligible Project Types

The methodology applies to projects that capture methane from abandoned underground coal mines and either utilise it productively (e.g., for electricity generation, heat supply, or industrial feedstock) or destroy it through controlled flaring or oxidation where utilisation is not feasible.

Measurement Approach

The methodology establishes a rigorous, science-based framework for quantifying emission reductions. Key elements include:

• Baseline emissions: Determination of the counterfactual methane release that would occur in the absence of the project, drawing on site-specific gas flow measurements and established emission factors.
• Project emissions: Accounting for all greenhouse gas emissions associated with project operations, including energy use, equipment leakage, and any incomplete combustion.
• Leakage: Assessment of potential displacement effects or upstream emissions attributable to project activities.
• Net emission reductions: Calculation of verified reductions as the difference between baseline and project emissions, adjusted for leakage.

Monitoring Requirements

Projects applying this methodology are required to implement a continuous or periodic monitoring plan that includes:

• Regular measurement of methane flow rates at capture points
• Gas composition analysis to confirm methane concentration
• Equipment performance records for utilisation or destruction systems
• Independent verification of monitoring data at defined intervals

The methodology specifies minimum monitoring frequencies, approved measurement technologies, and data quality assurance procedures to ensure consistency and comparability across projects.

Accessing the Full Methodology Document

The complete methodology document, including technical annexes and supporting guidance, is available on the OCP platform. Registered users can access the document directly through the public commentary page linked above. If you do not yet have an OCP platform account, registration is free and open to all.

How to Submit Comments

We welcome substantive feedback on any aspect of the methodology — from technical measurement protocols and eligibility criteria to monitoring requirements and additionality provisions. To submit your comments:

1. Access the public commentary form via the link on the OCP platform's methodology page.
2. Complete the structured submission form, indicating the specific section or clause your comment relates to.
3. Submit your response before the deadline.

All submissions will be reviewed by the OCP methodology team. A summary of comments received and the OCP's responses will be published following the close of the comment period.

Comment deadline: 31 July 2026.

Who Should Contribute

This methodology touches on a wide range of technical, environmental, and social considerations. We particularly encourage contributions from:

• Mining engineers with experience in abandoned mine gas management and ventilation systems
• Environmental scientists working on greenhouse gas measurement, monitoring, and verification
• NGOs and civil society organisations focused on climate integrity, just transition, and community impact
• Project developers with practical experience designing or operating mine methane capture projects
• Independent experts in carbon accounting, additionality assessment, and MRV frameworks
• Affected communities living near abandoned coal mine sites who have direct knowledge of local conditions and concerns

Your expertise and perspective help ensure that OCP methodologies are technically sound, practically implementable, and trusted by the market. We look forward to a rich and constructive dialogue.