In the central Appalachian basin, Virginia leads in coalbed methane drilling and production, even though it only contains a small fraction of the total coal resources and basin area. In 1992, coalbed methane surpassed conventional and shale gas as Virginia＇s largest source of natural gas. By the end of 1996 there were 814 wells producing coalbed methane in Virginia. Average daily production per well in 1996 was 114 Mcf (3.2 Mm(3)). Cumulative production of coalbed methane from 1988 through 1996 is 121,542,188 Mcf (3,445,073 Mm(3)). Factors influencing this trend include the presence of abundant coal in place including coal remaining in ground after mining, sufficient overburden, high gas-content coal beds, high gas permeability, existing pipeline infrastructure, and legislative clarification of uncertain coalbed gas ownership. Development of coalbed methane in Virginia began in late 1988. Production is from coal beds in the southwestern Virginia coalfield, a structurally distinct area along the southeastern margin of the central Appalachian basin. Ten coal beds within the Lower Pennsylvanian Pocahontas and Lee Formations and the Lower Pennsylvanian portion of the Norton Formation have been targeted for production of coalbed methane. Estimated coal in place for these coal beds is about 14.9 billion short tons. Estimated gas contents of the coal beds range from 256 ft(3) (7.9 m(3)/t) to 698 ft(3)/ton (21.5 m(3)/t). These data yield an estimated in-place coalbed methane resource of 6.7 Tcf (0.18 Tm-3) for Virginia. The U.S. Geological Survey reported the in-place coalbed methane resource for the entire central Appalachian basin to be 5 Tcf (0.13 Tm-3), with 3.07 Tcf (0.08 Tm-3) technically recoverable. An estimated in-place coalbed methane of 6.7 Tcf (0.18 Tm3) is more compatible with 3.07 Tcf of technically recoverable coalbed methane for the central Appalachian basin.