SCCL Eyes Entry into Coal Gasification Sector
The CMD briefed him on the company’s coal gasification initiatives and preparations under way for new projects.
Hyderabad:Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) is exploring entry into the coal gasification sector as part of the State Government’s plan to turn the company into a diversified energy enterprise, Chairman and Managing Director Dr Buddhaprakash Jyoti said on Friday.
He was speaking after a meeting with Director General of Hydrocarbons Dr Srikant Nagulapalli at Singareni Bhavan. The CMD briefed him on the company’s coal gasification initiatives and preparations under way for new projects.
Dr Jyoti said Engineers India Limited has completed a feasibility study for a 400‑tonnes‑per‑day ammonium nitrate melt plant at the Singareni Thermal Power Plant premises. He noted that the project’s return on investment is not yet encouraging. SCCL is examining ways to improve viability through higher plant capacity, viability gap funding from the Centre, and use of indigenous technology.
A team of SCCL officials will visit major coal gasification projects, including Talcher, MCL‑BHEL and JSPL, later this month to study their operations. Techno‑economic studies are also being carried out for surface coal gasification projects in Bheemaram, Chennur South and Naini.
On underground coal gasification, the CMD said SCCL has identified five deep coal blocks in the Bellampalli and Ramagundam regions as potential sites. Preparations are under way for the first pilot project in the Bellampalli Dip‑side Block, including drilling work. The project will move forward under the technical guidance of scientists from CMPDI and the Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR) of CSIR.
The meeting was attended by directors L.V. Suryanarayana (Operations), K. Venkateswarlu (Projects & Planning) and Gowtham Potru (Personnel & Finance), executive director (Coal Movement) B. Venkanna, general manager (Coordination & Marketing) T. Srinivas, general manager (Projects Planning) G. Devender, general manager (Business Development) Ramdas, general manager (R&D) Venkataramana, along with other senior officials.