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Thar coal mining project in Pakistan | Updates & Discussions.


Vision needed to use huge coal reserves to build Carbon-Chemical industry

Should Pakistan burn coal or use coal set up carbon-chemical industry which could be utilized to export value added materials to the planet and used for domestic consumption. Burning coal is like burning sandal wood. How quickly can Pakistan wean itself off the “burning coal” paradigm–perhaps after using it to meet the immediate energy needs. A lack of vision would just burn the carbon–smart people can come up with a lot of innovation.

Pakistan coal reserves are estimated at 175 billion tons which according to the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Punjab University, Professor Dr Mujahid Kamran equal 618 billion barrels of crude oil. According to the most reliable analytical reports Saudi Arabian crude oil reserves are estimated at around 260 billion barrels. At 60 Dollars per barrel this equates to 3708 Billion Dollars or approx. 4 Trillion Dollars (at current prices). At future prices these reserves will be worth 8 or 24 Trillion Dollars. This is enough money to build the most modern infrastructure, the best roads, the best hospitals, the best education, the best universities, the best hi-speed rail system and the best public transportation system on the planet

ISLAMABAD – President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Zahid Maqbool Friday said there is need to utilise Thar coal as it has the potential to produce 100,000 MW for 300 years, which is the solution of the power crisis.

He observed this while presiding over a meeting of ICCI Sub Committee on Energy. “According to the Geological Survey of Pakistan (2005), Pakistan has huge coal reserves of about 185b tons bulk of which are located in Sindh,” he informed,

He said that all South Asian economies including Pakistan are confronted with a massive crisis of power shortage leading to excessive load shedding due to which their economies are badly suffering. However, they can overcome this problem if they agree to a single point agenda of utilising untapped energy potential found in Pakistan and Nepal, he opined.

Not only Pakistan but Nepal also has the largest hydropower potential in South Asia, as it possesses 83,000 MW of hydroelectric power potential he said and added that both the countries have the potential to meet the energy needs of the entire South Asian region, but due to financial constraints, they could not tap this potential.

He stressed that to exploit this massive energy potential coal and water in Pakistan and Nepal, South Asian countries including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan should pool their financial resources and technical expertise and start mega energy projects in Pakistan and Nepal and develop a consensus energy distribution formula for meeting their energy needs.
He said there are many examples of power sharing among countries of Africa, Latin America, Central Asia and South East Asia and South Asian countries should also take benefit from such arrangements.

KARACHI: The Thar Coal and Energy Board has constituted a committee to prepare a formula for determining Thar coal price based on international best practices.

The committee consists of Murad Ali Shah, Secretary Irrigation and Power and Asad Ali Shah, a private member of the board.

Board’s secretary Aijaz Ali Khan told Dawn that while Ogra is regulatory regime for determining prices of oil and gas, there is no coal pricing agency or pricing formula in place for Thar coal.

He said that the absence of regulatory regime for Thar coal is one of the barriers in determining tariff for coal-fired power plants to be set up at Thar.

In the past a Chinese company, which had reached an advance stage of setting up a power plant at Thar, was refused a reasonable tariff by a federal agency, which compelled the company to pack off.

Meanwhile, the Thar Coal and Energy Development department is preparing detailed information guidelines, which will provide specific information on legal and regulatory framework as well as commercial benefits to the national and international investors participating in international bidding for Thar Coal Block I.

The board has decided to offer 20 per cent Internal Rate of Return (IRR) to firms which achieve financial close before Dec 31, 2015 for power plants based on Thar coal.

It will offer 25 per cent IRR to firms, which achieve financial close by 2014.

Two international and two local companies are working in various Thar blocks to set up coal-fired power plants. A UK firm Cougar Energy is exploiting Block III for underground coal gasification, which will lead to a 400mw power plant.

UK firm Oracle Gas Fields also plans to develop 1.4 billion tons coal in Block V1 integrating the mine with the construction of a mine-mouth power plant.

The Thar Coal Power Project (TCPP) would attract over $20 billion foreign investment within next six months, an official of Sindh Coal Authority Board (SCAB) told Business Recorder on Sunday. According to Sharjeel Memon, one of the SCABs governors, a host of interested companies from United States, China, Britain, Singapore, South Korea, Germany, Poland, Australia etc would invest over $20 billion in the Tharparkar-based energy project.

Memon, who is also the member of provincial assembly of Sindh, revealed that even the neighbouring India had shown interest in the attractive coal-based power generation project, TCPP. He, however, opined that tension at border and an ongoing blame-game between the two nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours were likely to keep New Delhi away from the project. The SCAB official also linked the expected investment with an early end to the ongoing political turmoil in the country.

“Lots of MoUs have been signed and a host of foreign firms keen to invest in the coal sector are visiting the Chief Minister on almost daily basis… work is underway on war footing basis,” he added. Also, he said, President Asif Ali Zardari, during his recent visit to China, had inked different MoUs with the investors in Beijing.

He said a nine-member Korean delegation, which had held a “fruitful” meeting with Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah last Thursday, would soon start boring for mining in Blocks 4 and 8 of the site.

The coal exploration work would follow the power generation process that, the MPA said, was a federal subject and would be carried out by Islamabad.

According to Memon the TCPP would help Sindh province generate at least 7000-8000 MW electricity by 2012, which would not only cater to the countrys 3,500MW power shortage, but would also be exported to the neighbouring countries. He said the provincial government had undertaken a fast track infrastructure development in Thar, along with a coal based mine-mouth thermal power plant by a Korean firm at an estimate cost of $3 billion. According to Asad Ali Shah, another SCAB member, a coal-based power generation plant in Thar would help Pakistan save a huge sum of $8 billion it was presently paying for imports of oil to run its power generation units. A recent study has revealed that Tharparkar has 175 billion tons of coal reserves with a best power generation quality, he added.

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that the feasibility report of the Thar Coal will be ready by June this year for submission to Sindh Government. Qureshi said that he has very good interaction with China’s top corporate leaders here in Beijing and also held talk with a top official whose company is carrying out the feasibility report on Thar coal. The company will finish the work on feasibility report by June and thereafter it will be submitted to the Sindh Government. The foreign minister said that he has discussed the prospects of utilizing the Thar coal for generating thermal power and was pleased to learn that the quality of Thar coal is far better than the imported coal being presently used for the purpose.

“So the chances for using Thar coal for power generation is very bright, according to initial report”, the foreign minister told APP in an exclusive interview during his stay in Beijing.

The geology of the area is quite friendly so it will not be difficult to extract the coal, he said and added that “the prospects are very encouraging”.
The foreign minister said that he also exchanged views with top officials of China Harbour with regard to prospects of growth and development of Gwadar port so that how we could utilize the port in more effective manner.
“I got some good ideas about how to develop infrastructure around Gwadar port to make it more useful”, Mr. Qureshi said.

Gwadar being close to the proximity of Iran which is rich in oil, therefore we can develop it as key area for establishing chemical industries, he observed.

During his interaction, Qureshi said that he has shared some good ideas with the leaders of corporate sector and they are very enthusiastic about working in Pakistan.

He said that during last one and half years there is lot of enthusiasm that has been generated on broadening the economic base between Pakistan and China.

The feedback, he got from the private sector, he said is that in the coming days the potential of broadening the economic and commercial ties with China is very bright and that is exactly in line with the economic diplomacy the foreign office was pursuing.

As we have plenty of sunshine round the year, therefore, there is also tremendous potential for bilateral engagements in development of solar energy.

He said that as the solar energy is becoming more and more sophisticated and would become cheap in cost with the passage of time, Pakistan offers lot of prospects in solar energy.

“Chinese cooperation can help Pakistan in overcoming the energy problem” Pakistan is facing at the moment, Qureshi said and added that it will also lay the base of foundations for industrial and agricultural growth in Pakistan.
The foreign minister said that he also had very fruitful meeting with those corporate sector people involved in river dredging projects in Pakistan that has already been initiated.

He further said that when completed the project would offer new opportunities for navigation and transportation as well as improving irrigation system in Pakistan.

Member Science & Technology Planning Commission, Dr Samar Mubarakmand said Pakistan has the potential to generate 50,000 megawatt electricity from Thar coal field for 800 years.

He said the field would start generating 100 megawatt power within the next 15-18 months, whereas, in the next phase, 500 to 1000 megawatt power plants will be installed to generate power through coal gasification, adding that after about 3 years Pakistan will be able to install the first 1000 megawatt power plant in Thar.

Dr Samar said power generated from coal gasification would be much cheaper, which will be sold to Sindh government at the rate of Rs 3.90 per unit. He said our focus is to produce turbine and generators in the country as 75 percent cost of a power plant is incurred on import of these equipments.

He said South Africa and China are producing ample diesel from coal and added that Pakistan could also produce more than enough diesel from Thar coal. He said Pakistan has also sound potential to generate energy from waste material and once these indigenous resources are brought into the mainstream production, there would be no need to resort to expensive power generation.

He said the country is blessed with $1.2 trillion worth of copper and gold reserves, mostly in Balochistan, and our country could become financially stable by exploiting these reserves.

Highlighting other projects, he said textile and garments cities have been set up in many cities of the country to facilitate businessmen while an Expo Centre at the cost of Rs 2.2 billion is being set up in Lahore for promotion of exports.

Earlier, President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce, Zahid Maqbool said manufacturing and industrial units were badly suffering due to shortage of energy and natural energy resources should be utilized to provide cheap energy to industry.

He said Thar coal has huge coal reserves and the government should fully exploit this potential not only to become self-sufficient in energy, but also to export the surplus coal to other countries and earn more foreign exchange.

Theme: ‘Thar coal field can generate 50,000MW power’

HYDERABAD, April 24: Sindh Irrigation and Power Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Saturday that the Thar coal power project had been put on the backburner because of opposition by ‘certain lobbies’.

But now the project had become part of the government energy policy and it had been resolved in the recently held three day energy summit to generate 8,000 megawatts from Thar coal by 2015 when consumption would be 36,000 MW and energy shortfall would be 21,000 MW, he said.

Addressing a press conference at the circuit house after chairing a meeting with representatives of industrialists, growers, small traders and Hesco, he said that “until recently some lobbies whom I won’t name have been opposing Thar coal project but now it has become part of government’s energy policy”. The minister who heads one of the committees formed by Sindh government to seek support for the government’s power conservation plan said that some environmental issues were also attached with the project and some agencies were expressing reservations over discharge of carbon in the air.

The World Bank, he said, had asked the government to present a paper on how it was going to tackle the energy problem. By 2030 when the country’s power needs would be around 114,000 MW, Thar coal would be contributing 30,000 MW, he said.
 
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The World Bank, he said, had asked the government to present a paper on how it was going to tackle the energy problem. By 2030 when the country’s power needs would be around 114,000 MW, Thar coal would be contributing 30,000 MW, he said.

This is more realistic. I was reading our power needs around 160,000MW by 2030 which seemed bogus to me. I was expecting energy needs to be around 100,000MW and this news clearly indication my observation to be accurate.

Well if that happens - and we successfully fullfills our energy demands - our country would be shaping upto something we did not imagine as of yet :smitten:
 
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Whatz wrong with my statement ?
India & Pakistan are two states born with 2 major religions...both nations were similiar and at par with each other development econmic spheres etc during partition..then how come one state (read INDIA) is bestowed with all might and self sufficiency and the other still needing aid and fearing loan default without US alms.Whatz Pakistan's exports $$ compared with Bangladesh (another successful state)..as a kashmiri we all were quite proud of Pakistan when we were young..but if one travels length & breadth of INDIA u will understand where u stand...everywhere thrz freedom...most citizens pays taxes.and all dream of a Great future..and thatz happening in India..India so huge and vibrant and so called maoist movements are just stroam in a tea cup..so my Pakis brothers this is what i had to say..PLEASE PLEASE FORGET UR OBSESSION with INDIA..try to make ur country standup internationally..have some self respect...do not ask for AID..becoze ur reinforcing that failed state attitude and only authoritarian regimes like China will support u in future..

Salma jee i did not bother to read this post but the last post Taimi Khan deleted mine too :cry: if you had read it once you would have understood what was wrong in your post.

I don't mind if you talk about India - Pakistan only but when you were dragging Allah in it having doubts/suspecting on his Mercy. These posts may get deleted again - Its off-topic and if you want to discuss about Kashmir go to its dedicated thread in Kashmir war section

http://www.defence.pk/forums/kashmir-war/20220-future-kashmir-seven-possible-solutions.html

Say whatever you wanna say in that dedicated thread only
 
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Pakistan coal reserves are estimated at 175 billion tons which according to the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Punjab University, Professor Dr Mujahid Kamran equal 618 billion barrels of crude oil. According to the most reliable analytical reports Saudi Arabian crude oil reserves are estimated at around 260 billion barrels. At 60 Dollars per barrel this equates to 3708 Billion Dollars or approx. 4 Trillion Dollars (at current prices). At future prices these reserves will be worth 8 or 24 Trillion Dollars. This is enough money to build the most modern infrastructure, the best roads, the best hospitals, the best education, the best universities, the best hi-speed rail system and the best public transportation system on the planet



Wow, that is really good news. but will it be carried out like planned? i highly doubt it. we're missing the right leadership, we need a strong and honest leader. if they do carry on and it's worth is 8 trillion (24 may be a bit of a stretch), then just as a calculation, divided among the 180 million population, each person would get around 40,000 USD, and right now per capita income is only 2,000. that would be a great jump.

but thats not it, if they do get all the trillions, i hope they spend it on making pakistan modern and a developed country, but they will most likely steal the money themselves:frown:

once it becomes developed income won't be a problem i think. seems to good to be true.

btw, does anyone think that with 20 trillion dollars all of pakistan will become developed or not?​
 
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Wow, that is really good news. but will it be carried out like planned? i highly doubt it. we're missing the right leadership, we need a strong and honest leader. if they do carry on and it's worth is 8 trillion (24 may be a bit of a stretch), then just as a calculation, divided among the 180 million population, each person would get around 40,000 USD, and right now per capita income is only 2,000. that would be a great jump.

but thats not it, if they do get all the trillions, i hope they spend it on making pakistan modern and a developed country, but they will most likely steal the money themselves:frown:

once it becomes developed income won't be a problem i think. seems to good to be true.

btw, does anyone think that with 20 trillion dollars all of pakistan will become developed or not?

Its not wholesale business where you go - buy something pay and come back. Its not cash and carry so do not be too much optimistic......... :lol:

Its a long term project that we are going to utilize for our own needs first. We are still a poor country regardless of these blessed resources by Allah All-mighty. We will have to start utilizing these resources for our demestic use first before even thinking of exporting it. The only thing i see is

1) Build infrastructure in Thar to utilize these resources
2) Generate Electricity from Goal
3) Reduce import bills of Oil by digging these coal mines and encourage peoples to use coal instead of other alternatives
4) Increase the production
5) And then thinking of selling Coal to other countries too.......

all these steps requires decades of time trust me....... its not one day job and then we can think of developing our country by exporting good amount of coal to earn revenues (that ain't gonnai happen anytime soon due to strict International policies being introduced to prevent using of Coal)
 
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Are we looking at producing LNG from Thar reserves ?
 
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Its not wholesale business where you go - buy something pay and come back. Its not cash and carry so do not be too much optimistic......... :lol:

Its a long term project that we are going to utilize for our own needs first. We are still a poor country regardless of these blessed resources by Allah All-mighty. We will have to start utilizing these resources for our demestic use first before even thinking of exporting it. The only thing i see is

1) Build infrastructure in Thar to utilize these resources
2) Generate Electricity from Goal
3) Reduce import bills of Oil by digging these coal mines and encourage peoples to use coal instead of other alternatives
4) Increase the production
5) And then thinking of selling Coal to other countries too.......

all these steps requires decades of time trust me....... its not one day job and then we can think of developing our country by exporting good amount of coal to earn revenues (that ain't gonnai happen anytime soon due to strict International policies being introduced to prevent using of Coal)

and now i feel hopeless again, lol. it all depends on our leaders, if they want to get it done quickly they can, like it take 10 years to build a building with no work being done. if they act fast it can be done quicker, but we don't have good leaders now do we.

Come on, man, good things always come to an end, but why not the bad things. i wana do something for our country, don't want to be full of shame when our next generation asks us what we did for them, when they look at other countries and then at us.
 
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History of Thar Coal Formation (A geological Review)

Indian Plate (Pakistan & India) was separated from Madagascar at 180 Million Years and started to drift towards the Eurasian Plate. When, it was collided with Eurasian Plate at 70 M.Y. The Tethys Sea was closed in the northern Pakistan and sea water rushed towards south (Karachi). Due to high influx of sea water Nagar Parkar Granite was overlain by it at 45 M.Y. It retreated leaving maximum vegetation (Maximum Flooding Surface) and exposed surface (Unconformity/ Sequence Boundary) for bacterial action. The formation of coal was closed at 30 M.Y. (Bara Formation), than coal was overlain by the sub recent deposits of sediments (Siwliks and Indus Delta) (GSP Report).



So the coal is still immature and peat type due to the reasons given below;

1. No tectonic activity due to the Nagar Parkar Granite (Basement).

2. Granite was cooled and no heat to mature the coal after its formation.

3. Due to the bacterial action and exposed surface for round about 20 M.Y.

4. Recharge of the aquifers from the sea below and above the coal bed.

5. Moisture in the coal is 47-54% (too high).

6. Carbon is 18-21% (unsatisfactory).



Future problems for mining;

1. The sand beds (below and above the coal) are not so compacted that these can support cave mining.

2. Moisture loosens the coal and creates problem for mining.

3. Recharge of the aquifers (below and above coal bed) is from the sea (as water is saline).

4. Open pit mining is feasible only.

5. Pits will be filled with water and creates environmental issues.

6. Coal and waste water will be in huge amount.



Water Aquifers;

There are two parasequence in Bara Formation, Lower is retogradational parasequence and upper is progradational parasequence. So there are three zones in terms of lithostratigraphy:

a. Coarser Sands in the lower most part of the formation

b. Clays and coal seams in middle part and

c. Coarser sands in the upper most part of the formation and unconformity. (GSP report and recent well drilled near Islam Kot, Thar)

So the upper and lower part of the formation is composed of coarser sands, so most favorable for the water aquifers. Recent wells drilled in Islamkot by SRK, shows that there are two water aquifers in the upper and lower part.

a. Lower fresh water aquifer is being recharged by Indus River and

b. Upper aquifer is saline and being recharged by Rann Of Kutch (Arabian Sea).









Solutions of the problems for mining;

1. First a seepage wall should be constructed around the mining area.

2. Pump out the water to the other areas.

3. Mining must be started from the eastern side (Nagar Parkar Granite Side) to avoid the water aquifer.

4. Rest, Coal Gasification may be a prospective.



(Reference: Coal Resources of Four Blocks in Thar Coalfield, Sindh, Pakistan by GSP Report 2002)

(Note: Estimated production rate of electricity from Thar Coal is 0.12PKR/unit and from Tarbela Dam in summer, 0.15PKR/unit & in winter, 0.25PKR/unit.)



It’s a just way of knowledge sharing.


courtesy Tariq..
 
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KARACHI: Engro Company has initiated work and intends to install another power plant of 200 megawatt with collaboration of a Chinese team.

Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah disclosed this at the 27th meeting of the Sindh Coal Authority Board was held on Saturday. He said, after a period of about 40 years, the federal government under the authority of president and prime minister decided and transferred control and development of Thar coal to the Sindh government and Thar Coal and Energy Board was established. He said work of mining coal deposits is in progress in eight blocks.

Engro has initiated to install 1,000 megawatts power plant, besides, M/s Al Abbas Group is also working in Badin district, while an agreement will be undertaken with them for the purpose of power generation within a period of 24 months, he added. Sindh CM maintained, “We are going ahead and by mining coal, power plants will be installed, while Sindh possesses resources of 100 years where about 50,000 to 60,000 people will work in a single power plant of a block.” He added there is an investment of about $1.5 billion at present while 3 to 4 more companies are working there. Sindh CM added the coal reserves of Lakhra, Thatta and Badin would also be utilised for power generation. Sindh Secretary for Coal and Energy Department Aijaz Ali Khan informed the scheme of ICB for hydrological study of 22,000 square kilometres of Thar area was approved at a cost of Rs 176.722 million, which has now been tagged with TCAP of World Bank. He said procurement and installation of 25 reverse osmosis (water desalination) plants in districts of Badin, Jamshoro and Dadu at a cost of Rs 39.150 million, was in progress and installation and commissioning will complete by June 2010. The meeting approved the memorandum of understandings signed with various investors for development of coal in Sindh that include, South East of Naukot (District Tharparkar); block-V of Thar coal fields, Thar Block-VI and Golarchi (District Badin), and study for the development of Additional Blocks-VII and VIII at Thar coal field which have been completed.

The meeting reviewed progress of construction of Thar airport near Islamkot, installation of Reverse Osmosis (Desalination) Plant, construction of Thar lodge at Islamkot, construction of road from Islamkot to Thar Airport site, development of Coal blocks VII, VIII, IX and X; establishment of central Rescue Station at Tharparkar, exploration of coal and hydro-geological studies near Khorwah, exploration of coal resources and development of additional block at Sonda-Jherruck coalfield (in Thatta District). app
 
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KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah on Monday presented a refined specimen of coal, unearthed from Thar coalfield, to President Asif Ali Zardari during the special Sindh Cabinet meeting held at the Chief Minister’s House. According to an official handout, Zardari said that the coal so discovered is like gold for the economy and after gasification and power generation on Thar coal, our country will not only have pace of development but also progress and prosperity. He stressed upon the Sindh government to further accelerate the pace of development at Thar coalfield and other coal pockets in Thatta, Badin and Jamshoro districts. No official handout was, however, issued regarding the special cabinet meeting. staff report
 
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The World Bank’s decision not to finance the Thar coal project came as a shock for Pakistani industry officials, who say that the country does not contribute any significant amounts to carbon emissions.

Khalid Mansoor, the CEO of Engro Energy, which has leased a block at Thar, says the World Bank’s decision reflects growing concerns over global warming. “But that is not a huge stumbling block for us. There are other options of financing as well.”

However, he said, the government needs to present its case properly to the World Bank, which has just recently allocated $3.7 billion for coal-fired power plants in South Africa.

“We are one of the least polluters. Our energy mix includes 33 per cent of power generation from dams and another 33 per cent from gas. There is a need for proper lobbying,” Mansoor said.

Farooq Hasan, the CEO of Hasan Associates, seconded the opinion. His company has fought in vain for years to get an appropriate tariff for the power plants, which might have used coal.

“Political will is missing. Successive governments have just paid lip service to the importance of indigenous coal reserves. Nothing will happen until there is a realisation at the highest level that using coal is in the larger national interest.”

During the last two years, the government had set up committees and even gone into public-private partnership for utilising coal reserves, but the process of getting regulatory approvals is too long and complicated. Engro Energy is the only firm, which is effectively pursing the coal prospects in Pakistan.

According to Najamul Hasan Farooqi, an energy consultant, Pakistan did not even mention coal as a source of future energy supply in its report, which is annually submitted to the World Bank.

“The country can’t count on its gas anymore. The supply-demand gap has already surged to 30 per cent,” he said. “The Iranian gas will be enough to generate between 2,500 and 3,000 megawatts and it is going to be expensive.”

He said the cost of energy has shot up substantially as thermal power plants use more furnace oil.

“Just the fuel cost of power generation is Rs10 per kilowatt hour when furnace oil is used. It is Rs3 per kWh for gas and using Iranian gas will take it to Rs8 per kWh. But the fuel cost of Lakhra coal is just Rs2.5 to Rs3 per kWh.” —SH
 
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ISLAMABAD, May 31 (APP): The country would start generating electricity through coal gasification by next year, renowned nuclear scientist Dr. Samar Mubarakmand said. “A project has almost been finalized to produce electricity by utilizing Thar coal reserves, which are one of the five largest coal reserves in the world,” he told APP in an interview.


Dr. Samar, who is presently associated with Planning Commission of Pakistan as Member Science and Technology, said the project has been approved by the concerned quarters after which a technical team comprising experts of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and National Engineering and Scientific Commission is all set to achieve the national goal of making the country self-sufficient in energy sector.

The nuclear scientist said during next eight to ten months the process of making gas from coal would be started, while the electricity generation through coal gasification would hopefully start by beginning of the next year.

Under the project, he said, the coal would not be mined rather plants would be installed on deposits to produce gas in a most sophisticated manner.

The Thar coal reservoirs have potential to generate 5,000 MW electricity for at least 800 years to meet growing energy demand of the country, Dr. Samar added.

He said inexpensive production of electricity would bring an industrial revolution in the country, putting it on consistent path to progress and prosperity.

According to a report, a single reserve in Thar has about 850 trillion cubic feet coal (TCF), which is far better than the total oil reserves of Saudi Arabia and Iran if put together.

“The coal deposits in Thar can change fate of the country if utilized in a proper way. It can save oil import bill, reduce unemployment ratio and help strengthen economy and rupee,” according to Pakistan Economy Watch.
 
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KARACHI: A detailed discussion took place on the agenda of the ninth board meeting of Thar Coal and Energy Board (TCEB) presided over by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah at the Chief Minister’s House on Saturday.

At the meeting, briefings were given by the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) for transmission network up to Thar, irrigation department for water supply and effluent disposal from Thar coalfield, while Pakistan Railway Advisory and Consultancy Services (PRACS) gave presentation on Railway Link to coalfields.

Discussing the timelines and milestones of various on-ground projects in Thar, importance of infrastructure was highlighted.

To achieve timely development, the board decided that proposal of a new independent corporate-style infrastructure development agency might be worked out, and the federal government would be requested for a minimum block allocation of Rs 10 billion for Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) during the next year.

The board also requested the Federal Ministry of Water and Power to ensure block allocation for Thar coal development.

Meanwhile, the NTDC shared progress on laying of transmission line up to the Thar coalfields, while NTDC general manager (Planning) disclosed that the NTDC had initiated a feasibility study on evacuation of power from Thar coal and this contract had been assigned to M/s SNC Lavlin of Canada and NESPAK. The feasibility would be completed in one year’s time.

Federal Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf assured his full support and decided to hold a meeting at Lahore by the end of next week.

PRACS shared their assessment of seven routes for linking Thar coalfield with the main railway network, and it was decided that route No 7 was the most feasible, which can be completed in the shortest time with minimum cost. ppi
 
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