Utilizing the coal resources in time
Saturday, 6 December 2008
Dr Raisuddin Ahmed
COAL can be a useful and effective alternative source of energy to ensure Bangladesh's future energy security and help develop the national economy. But to utilise the country's coal reserve potential, a bold decision and its immediate implementation are necessary. Bangladesh has large coal reserve. But the country is yet to tap its potential.
Bangladesh is now facing multifaceted problems like the lack of necessary and realistic vision, policy-related complexities and weakness in taking appropriate and timely decisions. Overcoming these bottlenecks is intricate, but not impossible. Firstly, the government's vision needs to be changed. The government should be open, free from political considerations and come out of conservative approach. Appropriate decision should be taken without fear and adequate measures should be taken for its quick implementation.
The government must maintain strong monitoring, especially in the case of social and environmental issues associated with coalmine development and, immediate rectification is a must if a wrong is committed. An independent monitoring system can be considered involving eminent scientists and academicians of the country.
Coal sector in Bangladesh is very promising. The government must not make any further delay in taking decision on coal sector development. The country is already lagging behind in utilizing coal resources. The global practice is that around 70 to 80 per cent of coal is used in coal-fired power plant in the coal-rich countries like USA, China, Germany and Australia.
Despite having large potentials, Bangladesh has only one 250 MW coal-fired power plant, which is also struggling for regular supply shortages of coal due to application of wrong mining method in Barapukuria coalmine. The gas reserve of the country is depleting quickly with growing demand and Bangladesh doesn't have any alternative other than immediate extraction and uses of its coal resources. The preferred option for Bangladesh would be to use coal for base-load power generation and save valuable gas resource for other productive uses.
Geological reality and economic consideration should come first for selecting mining method. It is very much site-specific. In Bangladesh, the main challenge for underground mining is to maintain the subsurface water-bearing Dupi Tila layer overlying the coal seams. It is also a challenge for open-pit mining. Thick coal seam and unconsolidated overburden materials are also factors in safe and economic mining of the coal resource. Considering the overall geological structure and soil condition of Barapukuria coalmine, it can be said that open-pit mining method is most suitable for its mining.
As the geological structure and soil condition of Phulbari is similar to that of Barapukuria, the open-pit mining method would be a suitable option for getting the maximum benefit out of it. But the authorities concerned must have to be careful about pollution, degradation of environment to maintain a natural equilibrium. Mine dewatering will have significant impacts on underground water regime in the area.
But there are well-tested mitigation measures in the world to minimise the impacts of dewatering. RWE Mine of Germany is a great example of efficient subsurface water management. Bangladesh must have to implement those mitigation measures and make use of experiences to ensure availability of water to the affected communities. The local people who will loss their land and other assets for open-pit mining must have to be properly compensated for.
After coal extraction, the affected lands must have to be reclaimed and rehabilitated for productive uses and should consider returning back to the owner or their successors. The mining should be done in phases to ensure that huge numbers of local people do not need to be rehabilitated at once. The local people must be given proper employment and other opportunities to maintain their livelihood with better status than before.
As currently Bangladesh has no expertise in coalmining, initially one or two coalmines should be developed with assistance from foreign companies. Such companies can develop Bangladesh coalmines under contracts. The remaining coalmines should be kept for local companies to develop. Manpower should be developed through necessary training. Provision should be kept in the contract with foreign companies to ensure employment of a maximum number of Bangladeshi nationals. Arrangements should also be there so that local expertise may develop through observing and working with the foreign companies.
(The writer, a geologist of Bangladesh origin, is now working abroad)
COAL can be a useful and effective alternative source of energy to ensure Bangladesh's future energy security and help develop the national economy. But to utilise the country's coal reserve potential, a bold decision and its immediate implementation are necessary. Bangladesh has large coal reserve. But the country is yet to tap its potential.
Bangladesh is now facing multifaceted problems like the lack of necessary and realistic vision, policy-related complexities and weakness in taking appropriate and timely decisions. Overcoming these bottlenecks is intricate, but not impossible. Firstly, the government's vision needs to be changed. The government should be open, free from political considerations and come out of conservative approach. Appropriate decision should be taken without fear and adequate measures should be taken for its quick implementation.
The government must maintain strong monitoring, especially in the case of social and environmental issues associated with coalmine development and, immediate rectification is a must if a wrong is committed. An independent monitoring system can be considered involving eminent scientists and academicians of the country.
Coal sector in Bangladesh is very promising. The government must not make any further delay in taking decision on coal sector development. The country is already lagging behind in utilizing coal resources. The global practice is that around 70 to 80 per cent of coal is used in coal-fired power plant in the coal-rich countries like USA, China, Germany and Australia.
Despite having large potentials, Bangladesh has only one 250 MW coal-fired power plant, which is also struggling for regular supply shortages of coal due to application of wrong mining method in Barapukuria coalmine. The gas reserve of the country is depleting quickly with growing demand and Bangladesh doesn't have any alternative other than immediate extraction and uses of its coal resources. The preferred option for Bangladesh would be to use coal for base-load power generation and save valuable gas resource for other productive uses.
Geological reality and economic consideration should come first for selecting mining method. It is very much site-specific. In Bangladesh, the main challenge for underground mining is to maintain the subsurface water-bearing Dupi Tila layer overlying the coal seams. It is also a challenge for open-pit mining. Thick coal seam and unconsolidated overburden materials are also factors in safe and economic mining of the coal resource. Considering the overall geological structure and soil condition of Barapukuria coalmine, it can be said that open-pit mining method is most suitable for its mining.
As the geological structure and soil condition of Phulbari is similar to that of Barapukuria, the open-pit mining method would be a suitable option for getting the maximum benefit out of it. But the authorities concerned must have to be careful about pollution, degradation of environment to maintain a natural equilibrium. Mine dewatering will have significant impacts on underground water regime in the area.
But there are well-tested mitigation measures in the world to minimise the impacts of dewatering. RWE Mine of Germany is a great example of efficient subsurface water management. Bangladesh must have to implement those mitigation measures and make use of experiences to ensure availability of water to the affected communities. The local people who will loss their land and other assets for open-pit mining must have to be properly compensated for.
After coal extraction, the affected lands must have to be reclaimed and rehabilitated for productive uses and should consider returning back to the owner or their successors. The mining should be done in phases to ensure that huge numbers of local people do not need to be rehabilitated at once. The local people must be given proper employment and other opportunities to maintain their livelihood with better status than before.
As currently Bangladesh has no expertise in coalmining, initially one or two coalmines should be developed with assistance from foreign companies. Such companies can develop Bangladesh coalmines under contracts. The remaining coalmines should be kept for local companies to develop. Manpower should be developed through necessary training. Provision should be kept in the contract with foreign companies to ensure employment of a maximum number of Bangladeshi nationals. Arrangements should also be there so that local expertise may develop through observing and working with the foreign companies.
(The writer, a geologist of Bangladesh origin, is now working abroad)