In situ stress is not only a vital indicator for selecting explorative regions of coalbed methane (CBM), but also a pivotal factor affecting CBM production. The present study explored whether in situ stress affected the development potential of CBM in western Guizhou, China. To this end, we collected injection/falloff well test data and gas content data from 70 coal seams in 28 wells. The study found that from top to bottom, strike slip fault stress fields (< 500 m), normal fault stress fields (500–1000 m) and strike slip fault stress fields (> 1000 m) were successively developed in western Guizhou. The distribution features of vertical permeability in western Guizhou are consistent with the stress fields' transformation location. The coal permeability in the western part in Guizhou presents a tendency of increase followed by decrease as a result of increased burial depth. The vertical development characteristics of coal seam gas content are controlled mainly by reservoir pressure, and the relationship between reservoir pressure and buried depth shows a linear increase. The CBM in western Guizhou is divided vertically into three development potential regions dependent on the characteristics of burial depth, permeability and gas content of coal seams. The most favorable vertical development potential region in western Guizhou is 500–1000 m. This region exhibits high gas content, high permeability and moderate burial depth, which are favorable for the production of CBM. These research results can provide basis for geological selection and engineering implementation of CBM in western Guizhou.

地应力不仅是选择煤层气（CBM）勘探区域的重要指标，也是影响煤层气生产的关键因素。本研究探讨地应力是否影响贵州西部煤层气的开发潜力。为此，我们收集了 28 口井的 70 个煤层的注入/衰减井测试数据和含气量数据。研究发现，黔西地区自上而下依次发育走滑断层应力场（< 500 m）、正断层应力场（500～1000 m）和走滑断层应力场（> 1000 m）。黔西地区垂向渗透率分布特征与应力场转换位置一致。贵州西部煤层渗透率随着埋藏深度的增加呈现先升后降的趋势。煤层含气量纵向发育特征主要受储层压力控制，储层压力与埋深关系呈线性增加。黔西煤层气根据煤层埋藏深度、渗透率和含气量等特点，纵向划分为三个开发潜力区。黔西最有利的垂直发展潜力区为500-1000米。该区含气量高、渗透率高、埋藏深度适中，有利于煤层气的生产。