"Don't know why it's so hard to believe methane may be coming up...

"Don't know why it's so hard to believe methane may be coming up from the ground around Dyraaba. They probably haven't noticed it because it isn't noticeable and doesn't make you sick or give you headaches etc."

Being deliberately obtuse aren't you?

This ISN'T the point at all! No-one is questioning the existance of background methane levels, what is being questioned is whether those levels are affected by the dewatering of coal seams to increase the mobility of gas within those seams. You would have it that the gas from dewatered seams is ONLY laterally through the seams to a well bore and, that while there may be some fugitive emissions associated with the bore, they are minimal. Surely what is being raised here is the possibility that the gas has established a connection directly to the surface which, with its newfound mobility, it is utilising?

This seems to be the case in several cases that have been bought to our attention in recent months, and certainly seems to be the case in the tragic cases being reported from Tara (most recently a 2YO who was air ambulanced to Brisbane).

You may find this video of interest (and I know it's from the US and that it refers to Shale Gas Mining rather than CSG mining, but despite your denials, there are similarities!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcUyuFjx0IU

TR