Introduction > 1: Understand the Context > 2: Engage Stakeholders > 3: Establish Baseline > 4: Set Goals > 5: Develop Policies and Programs > 6: Implement Policies and Programs > 7: Evaluate, Report, and Adapt > Case Studies > Colombia
Colombia has been a Global Methane Initiative (GMI) Partner Country since 2004. Domestically mined coal is a key fuel for Colombia's energy sector and economy and a source of methane emissions during mining activities. GMI estimated coal mine methane (CMM) emissions to be 11.1 MtCO2e as of 2015 (Step 1, Understand the Context).
Under the auspices of GMI, U.S. EPA collaborated with Colombia to prepare a CMM Country Profile in 2019 that represents activities in Step 1, Understand the Context, and Step 2, Engage Stakeholders of the Policymaker Framework. It described the national circumstances and identified and categorized key stakeholders in Colombia's CMM industry by name of organization, role, and stakeholder type. The GMI CMM Country Profile identified a total of 30 stakeholders including mining companies, equipment manufacturers, project developers, engineering companies, natural gas transmission and distribution companies, gas production companies, power companies, and government entities.
As a follow up to this activity, U.S. EPA conducted a pre-feasibility study in 2019 to explore the possibility of CMM capture and utilization at the Casa Blanca Mine, one of the largest mining complexes in Colombia. The study found that onsite power generation is the most viable option for CMM use, with the potential to produce up to 4 megawatts of electricity capacity. The study recommended that the best method to deliver this was to use a methane drainage technique using long, directionally drilled horizontal boreholes for pre-mine drainage (Step 5, Develop Policies and Programs).
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Relevant Framework Steps