KARACHI: Thar Coal gasification project is due to start in next month by carrying the first test burn at the underground coal gasification project in Tharparkar. Two foreign companies, one each from China and Australia, have expressed interest in Thar coal deposits to produce 2,000 megawatts of electricity, told Project chairman Dr Samar Mubarakman.
Dr Samar told the 13th meeting of the Thar Coal and Energy Board which was presided by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah on Saturday that 100MW would be generated through block-V of the underground coal gasification process and the first gasifier and civil works had been completed with the availability of $9.22 million for the project which involved over 36,000 feet of drilling and 18,000 feet of steel-casing.
The gas to be produced through the first burn will be connected to power turbines and generation of the planned 100MW electricity will start by Dec 2013.while Zubair Motiwala, chairman of the Sindh Board of Investment, briefed the meeting that block-I had been allocated to the Chinese company, Global Mining (CMG), which planned to develop five million tons of coalfield annually to produce 900MW and the generation would be gradually increased to 2,100MW.
The meeting was also informed that Australian Continental Energy had submitted a proposal for mining six million tons of coal annually and increasing it to 18 million tons. The company intends to generate 1,100MW in five years, 2,000MW in 10 years and 3,000MW in 15 years.
The evaluation committee suggested that the Australian company might be offered block-IV on the condition that it would provide within two months a credible financing plan to the Sindh government. Khalid Mansoor, the CEO of Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company, told the meeting that substantial progress had been made for obtaining Chinese financing.
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