BEIJING -- Coalbed methane extracted by China in the first nine months of the year rose 9 percent from a year earlier to 12.6 billion cubic meters, new data showed Saturday.

The country put 5.5 billion cubic meters of coalbed gas into use during the same period, accounting for 42.65 percent of the total output, the National Energy Administration (NEA) said in a statement on its website.

Gas production from drilling stood at 2.7 billion cubic meters, while the remaining 9.9 billion cubic meters were extracted from coal mines.

The NEA said the rapid increases in coalbed gas output and use helped reduce the number of coal mine gas explosion accidents in China.

China's coalbed methane reserves are estimated at 36.8 trillion cubic meters, ranking as the third largest in the world after Russia and Canada.

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