STAFF REPORT KHI: Nuclear scientist and Member Science and Technology, Planning Commission, Dr Samar Mubarakmand, has said that through underground gasification technology, electricity can be generated at Rs3 to 4 per unit while diesel can be produced at $40 per barrel.
While speaking at an oil and gas exhibition and conference POGEE-2012 at Karachi Expo Centre last week, he said that underground gasification (UGC) technology is the cheapest solution to produce electricity, natural gas and diesel in the present scenario of sky rocketing oil prices.
He said that 80,000 megawatts is being produced through underground coal gasification in different countries of the world including South Africa, Australia, China, Russia, Poland, Czech and Uzbekistan.
Similarly, South Africa is producing 160,000 barrels per day from UGC technology while China is providing 1,550 mmcf per day from UGC project to Beijing and adjacent cities as town gas, he added.
He said that 20,000 barrels of diesel per day can be produced at a cost of $650 million from Thar coal under UGC project. “We can directly supply gas to fertilizer industry as feedstock from Thar coal under UGC. We have successfully commissioned the first phase of UGC pilot project by burning the gas flame at Thar coal field,” he said.