Sino Gas & Energy Holdings Ltd., Sydney, has spudded the first two coalbed methane wells on the Linxing production sharing contract area in the Ordos basin in China.

Canada Energy Partners, Vancouver, BC, has acquired Hudson’s Hope Gas Ltd., the subsidiary of GeoMet Inc. that is 50% owner and operator of CEP’s Peace River coalbed methane project in Alberta.

Fortune Oil, Hong Kong, said it is starting to see commercial gas flow rates from horizontal wells at its Liulin coalbed methane project in Shanxi Province of northern China.

Australia’s coal seam gas and China’s shale gas resources hold great promise for future global gas supply, Royal Dutch Shell PLC Chief Executive Officer Peter Voser told the 25th World Gas Conference during a speech in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on June 5.

CBM Asia Development Corp., Vancouver, BC, and Continental Energy Corp., Jakarta, formed a joint study and bid group to investigate coalbed methane opportunities in Indonesia.

Newton Energy Capital Ltd. has completed its first coalbed methane exploratory test well on the Kutai West CBM PSC area in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, said CBM Asia Development Corp., Vancouver, BC, which has an 18% interest in the PSC.

Green Dragon Gas Ltd. said it averaged coalbed methane production of 4.4 MMcfd in the 2011 fourth quarter from the Shizhuang South block in China.

PetroChina, a unit of China National Petroleum Corp., has signed a binding agreement to purchase a 20% stake in Royal Dutch Shell PLC’s Groundbirch assets in northeastern British Columbia.

CBM Asia Development Corp., Vancouver, BC, has signed a heads of agreement with PT Tranaco Utama, a private Indonesian company that holds first rights to undertake a production sharing contract for a 1,500 sq km coalbed methane block in Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Adira Energy Ltd., Toronto, has relinquished its 100% owned, 31,000-acre Eitan license in the Hula Valley onshore northern Israel.

A combine of Exoma Energy Ltd., Brisbane, and an onshore unit of China National Offshore Oil Corp. have a large indicated oil discovery in the Galilee basin of central Queensland, Australia.

The US Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comments on Patriot Energy Resources LLC’s proposed Rough Draw Project 13 miles north of Gillette, Wyo., the agency’s Buffalo, Wyo., field office announced on Dec. 7.

The US Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comments on Patriot Energy Resources LLC’s proposed Rough Draw Project 13 miles north of Gillette, Wyo., the agency’s Buffalo, Wyo., field office announced on Dec. 7.

Essar Oil Ltd., Mumbai, has received environmental clearance to drill 58 pilot-production wells to develop coalbed methane reserves near the town of Durgapur in West Bengal, India.