Sindh Engro Coal Mining Developing Pakistani UCG Project Amid Electricity Shortages

摘要

Sindh Engro Coal Mining Co. is developing a US$3 billion Thar coal project in partnership with the government of Sindh, Oilprice.com reported. The project is expected to generate 100 MW of electricity by 2016 using Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) technology. The project can then be significandy scaled-up. The project is situated in the desert in Sindh, eastern Pakistan. The Thar project contains 1.4 billion tonnes of low-grade lignite coal reserves believed suitable for UCG. Overall coal reserves in the area exceed 175 billion tonnes of lignite coal. Pakistan's electricity shortages are driving development of the project. Pakistan faces a 5,000 MW shortfall in power generation, fulfilling just 50 percent of demand. Many urban areas in Pakistan are subjected to minimum 8-hour blackouts each day. The bulk of the US$3 billion in financing for the project will come from Chinese sources, according to A Shaikh, CEO of Sindh Engro Coal Mining Co.