A stimulation study shows the importance of considering reservoir thickness when developing low–permeability coalbed methane resources with a horizontal lateral.The study determined that when the thickness is less than a critical value, the well will produce less cumulative gas and decrease its commercial value. When the thickness exceeds the critical thickness, the productivity will not increase as reservoir thickness increases but will remain stable as thickness increases.In addition, initial gas production from a horizontal well in a low–permeable coalbed methane reservoir will decrease in thick reservoirs. The peak gas rate will be less at first and than increase later as ...