Coal India to Develop Coal Mine Methane

India’s Minister of State for Coal Pratik PrakashBapu Patil informed the Parliament on Tuesday that Coal India Ltd (CIL) is looking to develop coal mine methane from its mining areas.

The Ministry has made Central Mine Planning & Design Institute (CMPDI) the nodal agency for development of coal mine methane in India.

Minister said that the Government has approved the gas price formula based on the Rangarajan Committee recommendations, which will be applicable from 1st April 2014 for a period of 5 years. These gas prices will be applicable to all natural gas including CBM.

Minister further said that a total of 33 Coal-Bed Methane (CBM) Blocks have been awarded under 4 rounds of CBM Bidding, out of which 3 blocks have been relinquished. A total of 9.9 Trillion Cubic Feet (TCF) of CBM gas in-place has been established in 8 Blocks so far. In Raniganj South block in West Bengal, commercial gas production started in 2007 and the current gas production is of the order of 0.25MMSCMD.