Kolkata, Sept. 28 -- A team of senior officials from Coal Gas India Ltd (CGIL), a joint venture between Coal India and GAIL that is investing Rs 13,000 crore in the project, recently visited the Jamuria area near Durgapur to assess the ground situation and the suitability of the proposed site in the Sonepur-Bazari mine area of Eastern Coalfields (EC), a senior official said.
He said the field survey had been cleared by CGIL managing director, marking an important preliminary hurdle for the project. The identified site was found suitable for setting up the proposed plant.
The Jamuria field visit is being seen as a significant step towards translating Bengal's first major surface coal-gasification proposal from planning into execution.
The visit comes as CGIL begins the process of scouting global technology licensors in China, Germany and the US. The company is looking to select proven surface coal-gasification technology before moving to the bidding and construction stages. The proposed project is planned as a stand-alone unit with an estimated 25-year operating life and capacity to produce around 633.66 million cubic metres of synthetic natural gas (SNG) annually. The gasification process will convert coal into synthesis gas, which can subsequently be used as an industrial feedstock, including by chemical and fertiliser industries.
Coal Gas India Ltd (CGIL), the Rs 13,052-crore joint venture between Coal India Ltd and GAIL, has stepped up preparations for its proposed surface coal-gasification project in West Bengal, with officials recently conducting a detailed field inspection of the proposed site in the Jamuria-Pandaveswar belt of Raniganj Coalfields.
ECL has earmarked around 190 acres for the plant. The facility is expected to consume about 1.93 million tonnes of coal annually, with dedicated supplies from the Sonepur-Bazari mine.
Officials said technology selection would be followed by bidding and construction, with around five years estimated for construction and commissioning after the bids are finalised.
The project is also moving through the regulatory process, with the mandatory environmental public hearing scheduled for September 21.
Officials said the dedicated coal allocation for the plant would not affect supplies to existing thermal power stations.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.