TAIYUAN -- China's coal-rich province of Shanxi extracted 4.16 billion cubic meters of coalbed methane in the first four months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 13.7 percent, according to the provincial energy administration.

The province's coalbed methane output hit a record high in that same period.

The utilization of coalbed methane, a byproduct of coal, can help mitigate risks in mining, cut greenhouse gas emissions and ease gas shortages.

Shanxi has abundant coalbed methane resources. It has an estimated reserve of 8.31 trillion cubic meters of coalbed methane up to 2,000 meters below ground, accounting for nearly one-third of the country's total.