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Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) in India
Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) in India
MOHAMMED KABIRUDDIN
University of Petroleum & Energy Studies
UCG PRINCIPLES & ESSENTIALS
Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) converts coal into a
gaseous form (syngas) through the same chemical reactions
that occur in surface gasifiers
Essentials:
Site location -biggest issue
Coal characteristics–operations
Technologies-connecting wells
INTRODUCTION
The technology was first widely used in the USA during the later
1800s.
3
INTRODUCTION
1912 Co. Durham UK First Test
1930’s Intensive Soviet Development
1950/60’s Early European Trials – inc.
1955 Newman Spinney – Ntl Coal Board
1970/80’s US Programme - 6 Major Trials
1980’s European Studies and First Trial
Early 1990’s First US commercial designs
Mid to late 1990’s El Tremedal, Spain
European Trial
DTI UCG Initiative (1999-2005)
Australian Pilot 4
Firth of Forth Feasibility Study
WHY UCG NOW?
Security of supply
– indigenous coal Production Costs for clean syngas
– Un - mineable coal – Competitive against natural gas
(EU, US)
• Carbon Capture & Storage
– Pre-combustion processing Flexibility of Syngas for poly-generation
– Local storage options – Existing or new power stations, GTL,
SNG, H2 and other chemicals
Advances in UCG Technology
– Drilling, completion, control
FACTORS AFFECTING UCG DESIGNS
CRITERIA FOR UCG
UCG requires special properties of coal seam:
7
US SITE SELECTION CRITERIA
HOW DOES UCG WORK?
UCG
Co-fired
Plant
operating for 30
years
UCG
used in
dedicated 100MW
steam turbine
Linc
Energy have
bought a majority
stake in the plant
UCG IN SOUTH AFRICA
Eskom
UCG Trial at
Majuba Coal field,
3.5m thick at 300m
depth (Jan 2007).
Air-blown
co-fired
350MWe IGCC unit
planned
Sasol
initiated a new
UCG trial project at
Secunda as a potential
feedstock for CTL Plant.
CHINA
China has over 50 large coal gasification
facilities nationwide.
The
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
(USA)
has estimated that recoverable reserves could be
increased by at least 300% to 400% and that 1.6
trillion tons of un-mineable coal in the USA may be
recoverable with UCG.
AUSTRALIA
The
World Energy Council’s 2007 Survey on
Energy
Resources estimates that 45% of Australia’s
proven in place reserves, or 44 billion tonnes, is
available for extraction by UCG.
Applying
this same proportion to Queensland’s
measured plus inferred sources of thermal coal,
suggests that there are possibly 16 billion tonnes
that may be available for UCG in Queensland.
AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENTS
Linc Energy,
– Successful share offering in 2006, now
worth $1.5B
– Development of a GTL plant is underway
– New projects starting in S Australia,
Vietnam & USA (Dec 08)
The
Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd. (NLC), which has
got Government approval for taking-up a UCG Project
in lignite deposits of Rajasthan, has not been able to
get a suitable technical partner, so far.
The
ONGC is conducting a pilot test in Mehsana area
at an estimated cost of Rs 9.60 crores.
Internal
rate of return
25-30%, (with storage)
CO2credit 32% of
revenue
Syngas Utilisation
Options
Potentialfor contamination
Controllability of the reaction
CONCLUSION