Deployment of Underground Coal Gasification in India

Globally, the sheen of coal-based energy production is slowly wearing, with few exceptions of developing novel technologies that aid in coal gasification and gas clean-up. Underground coal gasification (UCG) is one such tool that can be used for extracting energy contained in otherwise inaccessible reserves. UCG involves the injection of steam and oxidant directly in the seam of coal, which is ignited through different methods. Post-ignition, coal reacts with steam and oxygen to produce a combustible synthesis gas (syn-gas). This syn-gas can be used to generate electricity or utilized as feedstock to take different routes to manufacture chemicals. This paper seeks to briefly outline some aspects in the deployment of underground coal gasification in the Indian subcontinent, along with a discussion on the current status of research in the field. The different stages of identifying and understanding key features and potential roadblocks, based on which decisions on the implementation of large scale UCG in a potential site in India are taken, are briefly outlined. We share our thoughts and experiences on the methodology, to model and understand the process and put forth our suggestions on the path forward.