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Plan to explore methane from coalmine

M Azizur Rahman | July 07, 2014 00:00:00


Petrobangla has planned to appoint a consultant to estimate the reserve of methane, a coal by-product, in Jamalganj coalmine, north off Bogra, before extraction of the coal.

A top official Sunday said the government will utilise the coal-bed methane from the country's deepest coalmine in Jamalganj as a substitute for natural gas without mining the coal to meet a growing demand for fuel.   

Petrobangla director for operations and mines Md Quamruzzaman told the FE that methane is the main component of natural gas and through utilising the coal-bed methane of Jamalganj the government hopes to meet demand for natural gas to some extent.

"Coal reserve of Jamalganj will remain intact, if the methane of the mine is extracted," he said while explaining prospects of the newfound energy resource.

Methane is usually found in-between the coal zones in coalmines. Jamalganj has around 1.05 billion tonnes of coal, 900-1,000 metres from the surface in the mine area, encompassing 16 square-kilometres.

The mine was discovered in 1965 by Geological Survey of Bangladesh. It is one of a number of coalmines located in the country's northern region.       

Petrobangla has floated tender seeking expression of interest (EoI) from the interested consultants for drilling of core wells, testing of core samples, and carrying out feasibility study for extraction of the coal-bed methane at Jamalganj.

The appointed consultant will estimate the reserve of methane and recommend the production test holes with locations, if commercially recoverable gas is found available in the coalmine.

To carry out the job the consultant will review all the available data and documents, prepare a work plan incorporating scope of work for drilling, logging and laboratory test.

It will have to delineate the project area and select three slim drill-hole locations, based on the available data or reports at Jamalganj.

As per terms and conditions, the consultant will supervise the drilling and coring of coal samples, down whole geophysical logging, and carry out analysis.

It will also supervise the testing of coal samples at laboratory for gas content and composition, porosity, permeability, proximate and ultimate analysis, petrography etc.

The consultant will also conduct geological mapping and compile report on geological cross-sections of the coalfield, chemical composition of coal bed, petrographic analysis of coal seams, hydrological condition of the coalfield.

The consulting firm will be required to provide drilling services for the drilling of three core wells, including logging, casing, cementing and plug and abandon for collecting core samples for laboratory tests and hydro-permeability tests. It will have to provide laboratory-testing services for testing of the core samples.

Petrobangla has moved to utilise the coal-bed methane of Jamalganj as part of the government plan to diversify the country's energy sources, said a senior Petrobangla official.

Despite having five coalmines with the total reserve of around 3.0 billion tonnes, coal extraction is limited to Barapukuria of northern Dinajpur, although the country feels the crunch of power and energy.

The underground Barapukuria coalmine currently yields 400,000 tonnes of coal a day.

The government is yet to adopt a national coal policy, although the process of its adoption was started around a decade ago, while the valuable natural wealth lies buried underground.

Coal extractions from the remaining local coalmines are held back on the pretext of non-finalisation of the coal policy, sources said.


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