Thar coal mining project in Pakistan | Updates & Discussions.

[Argus Panoptes]

..............

Chairman further clarified that the specifications of coal reserves available at Thar Coal are duly certified by RWE of Germany, M/s Shenhua of China, Mangolian Institute, United States Geological Survey, etc. He also presented comparisons with world as well as country to country basis. Thar lignite has a stripping ratio of 6:1, heating value of 11-12 MJ/Kg, Ash 7%, Moisture 45-47% and Sulphur 0.9-1.3%. This lignite is suitable for Power Generation and other uses....................]

This original report by John T. Boyd Co. makes for good reading:

http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNABU472.pdf

2.8
The total in-place seam resources within the study area are estimated to be 19.7 billion tonnes. The associated in-place stripping ratio for the resource is 5.6:1 (bank cubic meters of overburden/interburden : in-place seam tonne). The average cumulative coal zone thickness for the study area is 23 meters.
2.9
Based on available hydrogeological reports for the region and BOYD supervised pumping tests, the coal-bearing formation contains a significant aquifer above Seam Zone A, occasional aquifers between Seam Zones B and C, and a large aquifer below the Seam Zone C. All aquifers in the coal formation are under pressure. Water volumes vary depending on the aquifer. Field conductivity tests indice.te that all aquifers tested are brackish.
2.10
The estimated quantity and in-seam resources within the study area are:
quality
(dry basis) of the
lignite
Seam Zone Designation A B C Average
Estimated In-Place Seam Tonnes (millions) 3,699 10,807 5,200 19,706
Ash M 21.54 18.22 16.85 18.48
Average In-Seam Quality (dry basis) Volatile Fixed Calorific Matter Carbon Sulfur Value (%) (%) (%) (Btu/Ib) 47.38 31.08 3.37 9,780 49.65 32.13 2.72 10,380 49.94 33.21 1.41 10,420 49.30 32.22 2.50 10,280
Additional drilling is recommended to identify poorer quality areas in Seam Zone A as well as to obtain samples for more detailed coal quality testing.

as does this update by the World Energy Council:

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/sol...iness/electricity/survey_energy_resources.pdf

Pakistan

Proved recoverable reserves (total coal, million tonnes) = 2 265
Production (total coal, million tonnes, 1999) = 3.3

The republic’s coal resources appear to be substantial: The Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP)
gives measured resources as 3 775 million tonnes, with indicated resources of a further 12 124
million tonnes, inferred resources of 87 366 and hypothetical resources as 81 391 million tonnes,
as at June 30, 1999. The Pakistan WEC Member Committee considers that 60% of the measured
resources should be regarded as proved recoverable reserves.

The discovery of a huge coalfield in the Thar Desert of eastern Sindh province transformed the
country’s coal resources and Thar now contributes 84% of the measured reserves. Under the
auspices of an USAID programme which began in 1985, the field was located in the 1980’s; in the
early 1990’s a drilling programme largely confirmed its extent.

Since issuing the end-June 1997 data quoted in the 1998 WEC Survey, the GSP has reassessed
the allocation of the Thar coal field’s resource base, increasing its measured resources
by 36%, indicated resources by 61% and inferred resources by 30%; overall some 24 billion
tonnes have been transferred out of the "hypothetical" category, whilst maintaining the level of
total resources.

Notwithstanding its massive potential, Pakistan’s coal production in recent years has been only
about 3-3.5 million tonnes per annum. About half is currently produced in the western province of
Balochistan; no Thar coal is produced at present.

Small tonnages of indigenous coal are used for electricity generation and by households, but by
far the largest portion is used to fire brick-kilns. Just over 1 million tonnes of Australian coking
coal is imported each year for use in the iron and steel industry.

 

[muse]

we have experience with KESC so please dont teach me something

semi privitased because government will also earn through it and it will regulate the prices and keep check and balance

any national resource is a public property it shouldnt be sold to any buyer to be misused in any way

selling some national resource solely means monopoly of one person which cant be challanged by any public authority

their monopoly on revenues and income

It's really unfortunate that you do not understand how things work - you say you have experience with KESC and it monopolistic behavior - precisely, it's because there is only KESC and no competition

See, do you really imagine that govt is hearing you and not a business that can bring to bear politival pressure and $$$???

Govt's regulate, but onsumer behavior and competition is a major determinate of prices onsumers are charged - with competition, if you don't like what company A offers you can choose company B and if a couple of months down the line you don't like the price of company B, you can choose company C or A.

 

[Kompromat]

Obviously because we are in the same region and your country is 6x bigger than us.

He is just bragging, the US and Australia have the largest coal reserves in the world. This reserve in Pakistan is the largest in the world in a single geographic location.

 

[Edevelop]

He is just bragging, the US and Australia have the largest coal reserves in the world. This reserve in Pakistan is the largest in the world in a single geographic location.

In our case it is 180 million people and the resources stand enough. Going by distribution of resources India holds world's 2nd largest population in the world at 1.2 billion and has the potential to face more problems. Maybe not much in Coal but they are specifically facing acute shortage of Water and Gas

 

[Kompromat]

Thar coal offers cheap Pakistan Business

 

[Argus Panoptes]

Thar coal offers cheap Pakistan Business

Notice how it is all self-aggrandizement with no proper verification of the claims made by someone with no real knowledge of the subject:

Thar coal offers cheap
26 June, 2013


ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IWCCI) on Tuesday said precious resource of Thar coal is lying unexploited due to need of coordinated efforts therefore the government should consider establishing a Coal Ministry to exploit its potential.

The 175 billion tonnes of coal, sixth largest in the world, was discovered 23 years back that could not be put to work so far despite the fact that it can meet the country's and neighbouring nations fuel requirements for centuries, it said.

Pakistan has emerged as one of the leading countries, seventh in the list of top 20 countries of the world after the discovery of huge lignite coal resources which must be exploited, said IWCCI President Farida Rashid.

Speaking to business community, she said that countries have lesser coal than Pakistan have coal ministries, which ensure smooth flow of things.

Different federal and provincial departments, warring over petty matters, have only wasted time and funds to make the situation worst casting a dark shadow on the future of the country, she said.

She noted that despite decades of efforts, Pakistan is yet to claim any success on coal front therefore it should find an alternative solution to find support of other countries.

Ms Rashid said that coal has met nearly half of the rise in global energy demand over the last decade, growing faster even than total renewables while there are 1,004 billion tonnes of coal reserves left which is equivalent to 130 years of global output.

Coal use in India continues to rise and by 2025 it will overtake the United States as the world's second-largest user meaning that it will need to import more coal while Thar coal may be most economical for her.

Currently India imports coal from Indonesia, South Africa and Australia to satisfy annual deficit of 204 million tonnes.

According to World Coal Association, presently India is producing around 585 million tonnes of coal while importing 105 million tonnes and exporting nothing.

Converting captive power plants on coal may settle gas crisis while conversion of state-run power plants can resolve issue of budget deficit.

Pakistan's economy's steady drift towards collapse can be averted if a powerful coal ministry or a regulatory authority is established, she said.

Ms Rashid termed statement of Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Thar coal and Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project highly encouraging.

End.

 

[Nishan_101]

I am sure there are some open Coal Reserve in Balochistan from which it can supply electricity to Balochistan and also in there in Punjab some coal reserve which needs to be utilized...

 

[F-16 Viper]

They got to utilize it in the correct manner... I am not surprised because its Allah's blessings to Pakistanis...

 

[niaz]

Just heard on TV that Minister of Petroleum said that proposed 6000 Power Generating Complex at Gadani will based on imported coal and that Thar Coal cannot be used as fuel for power generation.

It appears that our so called 85-billion ton coal deposit will remain under ground for ever. Our hopes for future riches from Thar Coal down the drain!!!

 

[Argus Panoptes]

Just heard on TV that Minister of Petroleum said that proposed 6000 Power Generating Complex at Gadani will based on imported coal and that Thar Coal cannot be used as fuel for power generation.

It appears that our so called 85-billion ton coal deposit will remain under ground for ever. Our hopes for future riches from Thar Coal down the drain!!!

Our Thar coal is simply of too poor a quality to be used for power generation, all 85 billions tons of it. The hopes attached to Thar coal were always a mirage.

 

[W.11]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=669800653049760

 

[Kompromat]

KARACHI: Mining has been started at Thar coal site; The Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) has started mining in Thar block 2.

It has been estimated that 175 billion ton lignite existence on the site which is equal to collective reservoir of oil of Saudi Arabia and Iran. It is estimated that as many as 0.1 million mw electricity can be produce from the reservoir for 200 years. The reservoir of Coal has been discovered in 1991 by geological survey of Pakistan and United States Agency for International development.

Thar coal mining commences after two decades | The News Tribe

 

[Black Eagle 90]

KARACHI: Mining has been started at Thar coal site; The Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) has started mining in Thar block 2.

It has been estimated that 175 billion ton lignite existence on the site which is equal to collective reservoir of oil of Saudi Arabia and Iran. It is estimated that as many as 0.1 million mw electricity can be produce from the reservoir for 200 years. The reservoir of Coal has been discovered in 1991 by geological survey of Pakistan and United States Agency for International development.

Thar coal mining commences after two decades | The News Tribe

Nice and they should be provided with complete security and other needed requirements.

 

[ziaulislam]

thar coal quality is low but still can be used for power generation, however the intial capital investment required is large due to three reasons.
1. setting integrated coal -power plants is always expensive as minig cost is higgh intailly
2. lack of infrastructure
3. lack of water and transmission lines.

so far other than engro and one chinese company we are seeing nothing, engro is having difficulty in raising capital,
govt is ready to bail out billions for PIA but not ready for capital injection with engro.

all credit goes to sindh govt and PPPP here in this case

 

[Kompromat]

SECMC allays fears on Thar coal quality
The Newspaper's Staff Correspondent
Updated about 5 hours ago
Comment
Print
HYDERABAD: Thar’s coal is not of inferior quality as its sulphur content is better than most coals, which is why it is attracting investment from various sectors, said Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) on Saturday.

Talking to journalists on Saturday, SECMC’s CEO Shamsuddin A Shaikh said Thar’s is a brown coal which is considered younger coal and used everywhere for production.

As for the production, he said the SECMC would establish eight power plants with four of 330MW of electricity each by mid 2019. “First power plant will be there by end of December 2017 followed by second in mid 2018.”

The SECMC, a joint venture of the Sindh government and Engro Corporation set up to exploit the huge Thar coal reserves to produce cheap power, is going to spend two to three per cent (Rs3 billion) of total project’s cost of $1.8bn (Rs180bn). Mr Shaikh said 20 million tonnes of coal would be used every year to produce energy.

The project is part of public-private partnership for which sovereignty guarantee had been issued by the government. “The joint equity of Sindh government and the SECMC is 25pc and the remaining 75pc is the debt. Of this 75pc, 85pc is to be financed by China while the remaining 15pc will be borrowed from local banks,” he said.

Sindh government’s share is 51pc and SECMC’s is 49pc and more companies would contribute to it, he said.

Pakistan, he said, has 7th largest coal deposits but uses only 0.1pc of it. In comparison, India uses 550m tonnes of coal, of which 450m tonnes are of its own and the rest is imported.

He feared that if Pakistan remains dependent on imported fuel for energy production then by 2030 $50bn would have to be spent on oil. Heating value of Thar coal (175bn tonnes) is equivalent to that of Iran and Saudi Arabia’s heating value of oil combined.

“One per cent of coal will produce 5000MW of energy for 50 years,” he said. Out of 12 blocks, the SECMC is given block-II which has 2bn tonnes of coal but only 1.57bn tonnes of it would be used.

He said that coal is available at 135 metre depth underneath soil in this block. There are three underground aquifers and barring first one, which is discontinuous aquifer, the remaining are entirely brackish. He said 95-98pc of water is underneath coal.

Hydrological mapping is to be done for it and this water would be used for cooling in the plant and for the community after treatment. The good thing, he said, is that seam of the coal is very thick.

He said that brackish water would be diverted toward salty lakes in Rann of Kutch and afterwards water would be treated in reverse osmosis plants. Villagers would be provided water resource first. “We will get 30 cusecs of underground water and after treatment we will get 20 cusecs and remaining 30 cusecs would be achieved through LBOD [Left Bank Outfall Drain] after treatment to make for a total of 50 cusec of water for community and our project,” he said.

Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepca) has approved Environment Impact Assessment (EIA), he said, adding that Nepra has determined 8.57 cents upfront tariff for two power plants against national average of 13 cents but cost will drop to five cents with more plants coming up.

About relocation of villages, he said it would be required after eight years as two villages — Senhri Dars with 135 and Thahriyo Halepota with 303 households — are to be relocated.

“Roads are being properly built in the area and we have given specifications to the government to transport machinery,” he said.

He added that local drivers would be hired for running the heavy trucks, each of them costing Rs10m, and they would be trained through simulators.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2014


SECMC allays fears on Thar coal quality - Newspaper - DAWN.COM