Presentation

By
Dr.Muhammad Salim
Site Incharge
Underground Coal
Gasification, Project Thar

UNDERGROUND COAL GASIFICATION

PROJECT THAR
1. The project is based on an insitu technique to
recover the fuel or feedstock value of coal, that
is not economically available through conventional
technologies.
2. Lignite is a low rank coal and most suited to UCG
technique.
3. UCG promises lower capital/operating costs and also
has other advantages such as no human labour
underground.

4. We in Pakistan are blessed with this resource in

Thar Coal Field located in the eastern part of
Tharparkar Desert, Sindh.
5. Reasonably assured reserves of 175 billion tons of
Lignite Coal are available at Thar alone.
6. Coal reserves are known for the last twenty years
but unexploited, these lie 120 to 180 meters below
the surface.

7. Now the energy security scenario in the country has

aroused interest in the utilization of this big coal
reserve.
8. How significant this fossil fuel is, can be adjudged
from the share of coal in the production of electricity
in the world.

Total Power Generation of World

No
Source
1 Coal Based
2 Oil Based
3 Gas Based

%
41.61
5.63
20.87

No
4
5
6

Source
Nuclear
Hydro Power
Others

%
13.75
15.57
2.25

Total Generation capacity of India

No
1
2
3

Source
Coal Based
Gas Based
Oil Based

%
54.6
13.0
0.9

No
4
5
6

Source
Hydro Power
Nuclear
Others

%
22.8
2.9
7.9

Total Generation capacity of Pakistan

No
1
2
3

Source
Coal Based
Gas Based
Oil Based

%
2.27
4.50
58.37

No
4
5

Source
Hydro Power
Nuclear

%
32.54
2.23

Comparison of Investment & Cost

Item

Surface
gasification

Underground
coal
gasification

Construction
Investment

45006000
Rs. / m3

15002000
Rs. / m3

Gas cost

5.08.0
Rs. / m3

2.03.5
Rs. / m3

Cost of Electricity

Product Gases ( CO, CO2, H2, CH4, N2 , Steam & Tar

Air, Oxygen & Steam

Temperature 200-550oC

Temperature 550-900oC

Temperature more than 900oC

Drying & Pyrolysis Zone

Reduction Zone

Oxidation Zone

Coal

CH4 + H2O

CO + CO2

+ H2 O

CO + H2

+ O2

CO2

CO2 + C

2CO

+1/2 O2

CO

H2 + C

CO + H2O

CO2 + H2

CO +1/2O2

CO2

Hydrocarbons

CO + 2H2

Coal + O2

CO2 + CO + H2O

CH4

Schematic of the processes involved in UCG

COMPOSITION OF LIGNITE COAL

BLOCK-V
Total Moisture (A R)
Immane Water
Ash Content (A R)
Volatile matter
Fixed Carbon (AR)
Total Sulphur
Heating Value

39.27%
11.09%
10.97%
47.64%
30.14%
0.72%
4937 BTU/Nm

EXPECTED SYNGAS COMPOSITION

Syngas H2 O2 N2
By Air
16 0.2 58
%
By 60% 30 0.0 30
Oxygen

CH4
3.5

CO
5

CO2
17.5

HV
945Kcal/Nm

15

21

1710Kcal/Nm

Generation of 100 M Watts through underground

coal gasification
Total project cost
Total funds received
Funds allocated in PSDP
2011 2012

US $ = 115.6 million
( Rs. 9883.6 million)
US $ = 9.10million
( Rs. 789.0 million)
US $ = 12.51 million
( Rs. 1095.0 million)

First release of fund & commencement

of the project = 28 April, 2010

Project Milestone
b. Main Machinery ( All purchases under Sindh PPRA rules )
S. No.

Description

Date

Status

Air compressor
( process)

15 8 2010
Expected delivery
(15 1 2011)

Not delivered

Air compressor
( Process) placed to the
second lowest for
Hitachi Compressor
after negotiation at the
lowest cost. Expected
date of delivery -- Third
Week of April 2011..

18 2 2010
(Expected date of
Delivery Third Week of
April 2011..)

These machines have

been delayed by the
supplier. Now the
expected date of
delivery is Feb. 2012.

3.

Air compressor
(Startup)

15 12 - 2010
Expected delivery

These machines were

delayed by the
manufacturers due to
modifications
necessitated by the hot
weather at Thar. They
have been delivered in
August.

(15 4 2011 )

Project Milestone
a. CIVIL WORK
S.
No.

Description

Date

Status
Acquired about 27
acres

Land Acquisition

2 7 - 2010

Residential Colony

90 % complete
17 7 - 2010
( 39,312 sq. ft )

Technical Plant, workshop,

stores, laboratory, compressor
station, power station, control
room and admin block.

1 11 - 2010

60 % complete
( 27,756 sq. ft. )

Civil Works done for surface piping

Brick Masonry
= 6800 cft
Lean Concrete 1:4:8
= 1020 cft
Concrete 1:2:4
= 512 cft
Steel fixing
= 1 Ton
Material used for Civil Works
Bricks
= 90,000 no.
Cement
= 700 bags
Sand
= 5000 cft
Crush
= 2000 cft
Steel
= 01 Ton

Others works
Installation of High Pressure compressor
Installation of 2 Nos. fuel Tanks 19000
liter capacity each.
Installation of Cooling Towers.
Installation of 100 KVA Generator at
residential colony.

Installation R. O. Plant for residential

colony.
Installation of Saline water tube well.
Installation of Pumping wells.

SITE

April, 2010

Drilling Rigs in Operation

Drilling and Casing of Gas Wells

Welding of Surface
Piping

Surface piping installation

Surface Piping

Surface Piping for

Gasifier

Well Head
Assembly

Well Head
Assembly

Diesel Generators

High Pressure Compressors

COLONY

June, 2010

COLONY

June, 2010

COLONY

April, 2011

COLONY

April, 2011