Coal-bearing successions in west-central Alberta contain a number of laterally extensive seams and are known to attain locally substantial cumulative coal thicknesses. This study investigates coal rank, coal distribution and coalbed methane potential of four major coal zones (Lower Cretaceous Luscar Group and Upper Cretaceous/Tertiary Brazeau, Coalspur and Paskapoo formations) in the Grande Cache and Hinton areas of Alberta. Coal rank encompasses a wide range from subbituminous and high volatile C bituminous coals at surface for the Upper Cretaceous/Tertiary coal measures and semianthracite for the Lower Cretaceous Luscar Group in the Alberta Syncline. In the Foothills maximum cumulative coal thicknesses occur in the Smoky River, Cadomin-Luscar and Coal Valley coalfields. Cumulative coal thicknesses generally decrease east of the deformed belt; however coal isopach maps indicate local cumulative coal thicknesses in excess of 25 m. A regional coalbed methane assessment for strata east of the deformed belt shows favourable coalbed methane adsorption capacities in Luscar Group coals. These coals occur however at depth levels > 2500 m. Brazeau and Coalspur formation coals in contrast occur at favourable depth levels (< 1100 m) but due to their relatively low rank only marginal gas adsorption capacities are predicted. Adsorption isotherm experiments on fresh coal samples obtained from mine sites indicate unusually high coalbed methane adsorption capacities for Luscar Group coals. These coals occur in intensely folded and faulted strata and are in general highly sheared which may affect the in situ gas contents. The adsorption capacities of coals from the Coalspur Formation were also found to be relatively high. Here it appears the adsorbed gas volume merely reflects the holding capacity of the coal but does not reflect the actual reservoir conditions. Low rank levels of these coals have limited the amount of thermogenic methane generated in situ, thus limiting the coalbed methane potential.