Essar’s Raniganj (East) block in West Bengal has become India’s first coal bed methane (CBM) asset to cross the 1 million standard cubic metres per day (mscmd) production milestone. The targeted production from the block is 3 mscmd. As per Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc.’s 2016 report, the proven, probable and possible gross CBM reserves in the block are estimated at 1.09 trillion cubic feet and it is assessed to have additional resources of around 270 billion cubic feet in the “contingent” category. Essar has commenced supply of 150,000 standard cubic metres per day of CBM to Matix Fertilisers for its pre-commissioning activities. Besides Matix, CBM is also being supplied to industrial consumers in the catchment area of Durgapur. Gas pricing is in compliance with the government-notified formula of October 2014.