Foam fracturing is a common technical mean in the fracturing and stimulation of coalbed methane reservoir. The selection of foaming agent is particularly important. In order to develop a foaming agent with better foam performance，lower cost and excellent comprehensive performance，the foaming agent（HBS-J）was prepared from tea saponin，alkenyl succinic anhydride and sodium bisulfite by esterification and sulfonation. The structure of HBS-J was characterized by infrared spectrum，and then the foaming property，salt and oil resistance，surface activity，and reservoir protection of HBS-J were evaluated. The results showed that HBS-J had good foaming performance，salt and oil resistance，and surface activity. When the mass fraction of HBS-J was 0.3%，the foaming volume was 590 mL，the half-life of foam was 2562 s，and then the composite index of foam could reach 25 193 mL min，indicating strong foaming ability and foam stability. When the mass concentrations of Na⁺，Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ in brine solution were 79 310，5405 and 2021 mg/L respectively or the volume fraction of kerosene reached 25%，HBS-J could still form a relatively stable foam system. Furthermore，its foaming ability and salt and oil resistance were significantly better than those of traditional foaming agents，such as sodium dodecyl sulfate，sodium α-olefin sulfonate，coconut amidopropyl betaine. When the mass fraction of HBS-J was 0.25%—0.35%，the surface tension of solution（about 40 mN/m）was relatively low. The reservoir protection performance of HBS-J was good. The damage rate to the permeability of coalbed matrix was less than 10%. It would not cause serious damage to the coalbed methane reservoir during foam fracturing construction. HBS-J met the requirements of coalbed methane reservoir foam fracturing construction on the comprehensive performance of foaming agent.