TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Composition: The nutrient combination further comprises: a source of water, where the source of water comprises water, deionized water, ultrapure water, distilled water, municipal water, groundwater, produced water, formation water, recycled water, process water, wastewater, brackish water or brine; at least one trace element comprising iron, manganese, cobalt, zinc, molybdenum, nickel, aluminum, boron, copper, tungsten and selenium; at least one vitamin comprising pyridoxine, aminobenzoicacid, pantothenate, nicotinic acid, riboflavin, thiamine, thioctic acid, biotin, folic acid, pyruvate, and B12; at least one additive comprising acids, bases, buffering agents, oxidants, anti-oxidants, surfactants, emulsifying agents and/or gelling agents; and at least one methanogenic microbial populations, containing at least one methanogenic microbe including Methanobacteria, Methanococci, Methanomicrobia and Methanopyri. Preferred Components: The gaseous nitrogen comprises at least 60 vol./vol.% of the total gaseous nitrogen present in the nutrient combination. The pH of the nutrient combination is greater than or equal to 7. The nutrient combination comprises a two-phase mixture of a solution of a soluble source of phosphorus and the gaseous source of nitrogen. The concentration of phosphorus in the solution is at least 1.5 mM. The gaseous nitrogen is dissolved in the solution. The concentration of nitrogen dissolved in solution is 5-1750 mg of gaseous nitrogen/kg of solvent. The temperature, pH and/or ionic strength of the source of water is substantially the same as the temperature, pH and/or ionic strength of the resultant nutrient combination. Preferred Process: The nutrient combination is formed under anoxic conditions. The step of dispersing the nutrient combination throughout an in-situ carbonaceous material comprises: injecting the nutrient combination into or proximal to the in-situ carbonaceous material; co-injecting the nutrient combination with a hydraulic fracturing fluid; or dispersing a concentrated solution of the nutrient combination to the carbonaceous material, where the dispersed concentrated solution undergoes dilution with fluids associated with the carbonaceous material to provide a solution having an phosphorus concentration of at least 1.5 mM. The step of dispersing the nutrient combination throughout an ex-situ carbonaceous material in a heaped pile comprises applying the solution of the nutrient combination to an outer surface of the heaped pile, under an atmosphere of gaseous nitrogen, in an amount sufficient to cause the solution to flow or trickle under gravity from the outer surface through underlying carbonaceous material in the heaped pile. The gaseous nitrogen is applied to the heaped pile under positive pressure to ensure that the gaseous nitrogen penetrates and occupies any voids between the carbonaceous material in the heaped pile. The step of dispersing the nutrient combination throughout an ex-situ carbonaceous material in a reactor comprises mixing the nutrient combination with the carbonaceous material in the reactor. The step of mixing is continuous, intermittent, or ceases entirely after an initial mixing period, where the period is sufficient to bring the nutrient combination into intimate contact with the carbonaceous material. EXAMPLE - Cultures (Surat basin water) were established with 20 ml filter sterile, reduced coal-seam formation water and 2 ml crushed Surat coal in 120 ml serum vials. The headspace gas mixture in these vials was 100% helium. 400 mg potassium phosphate dibasic trihydrate/l of fluid was added to triplicate vials as a source of phosphorus, additional nitrogen was either absent or delivered either in the form of ammonium chloride (100 mg/l) or a headspace of 100% nitrogen gas instead of helium. The vials were inoculated with 1 ml enrichment culture of Surat basin water grown on coal for 8 weeks. Vials were then sealed, removed from the anoxic glove box and incubated at 42 degrees C to give methane.