Guardian: Shell has expanded its interests in China by taking control of a pioneering project to meet some of the country’s burgeoning demand for energy using methane gas from underground coal seams. The Anglo-Dutch group has bought a 55% equity stake from Verona Development Corporation and will operate the North Shilou project, 150km south-east of Changbei gas field, where Shell is also active in a conventional gas production scheme with PetroChina. Methane is a highly flammable …