Resource Potential and Prospects of Coal Bed Methane (CBM) In Pakistan

Table of Contents
Overview Research of CBM in Pakistan to date CBM in India and USA Prospective in Pakistan The way forward

 Powder river basin of US Cambay Basin of India Above both coals are similar in age and rank to most of Pakistanis Coal Coal will be extracted through open pit mining JV between Sindh Government and Engro Corporation

 USAID united state agency for internaitonal development Thar deposits 6th largest coal reserves in the world Thar field is in Thar desert of Paksitan and his is 9th largest desert of World 185 billions tons of lignite coal in thar desert Lignite coal lies between peat and pur coal and it has low power generation capacity and thus also it has low TOC THAR coal area is 9000 sq Km Powder Basin 9000 wells were drilled 860 wells were not able to produce after de watering and 109 wells were abondened Powder Basin has tertiary age lignite that is analogus to the coal in Thar desert

 Using XRD Coal samples of Thar Coal contain Quartz (SiO2), Kaolinite as the dominant mineral phase Calcite dolomite muscovite illite are also present in lesser amount

 Power river basin coal characterstics

Thick Highly permeable Tertiary age Lignite Sub bituminous Coals Shallow depth Near to 2000 ft

Thar Coal Characterstics

Moisture 48.99% Ash 6.35% Sulphur 1.17% Fixed Carbon 12.5 to 14% Volatile matter 30 to 30.60% Heating value 4840 BTU/lb Ran of Kutch fault is the only nearby bigger fault to the area Open pit mining is the best option for thar coal lignite Under ground coal mining Total number of coal seam 3 One of the best lignite in the world One of thar block Is drilled to about 9852 meters China North East Geological Bureau (CNGB) Out if these 9852 meters 5986 meters have been cored 273 lignite samples were analyzed Thus this yield a lignite quality as heating value 3182 kcal/kg, high moisture, low ash, sulphur content of less than 1 percent. The depth of coal seam defines the underground mining or open pit mining http://www.oraclecoalfields.com/coalfields.php

 Power river basin coal characterstics

PRB coal is classified as sub bituminous ranked coal Low rank coals have loose pore structure and additional moisture retention capacity PRB also has more oxygen chemically bonded to coal Low heating value Lower sulphur content Higher volatile Lower fusion temprature PRBs lower heating value is resulted from its higher moisture and oxygen content It has low sulphur content because it was exposed to fresh water rather than sea water

Illinois bituminous
Heating value Ash (dry) Moisture Sulphur 12770 Btu/lb 17.4% dry 3.1% 4.2% dry

Wymoing Sub bituminous

Heating value 8683 Btu/lb Ash 6.6% dry Moisture 23.8% Sulphur 0.4% dry Anthracite coal is high ranked coal like bituminous