Sindh to draft policy for production of gas from coal

The Sindh energy department will prepare a draft policy in relation to making liquid gas and fertiliser from coal.

The decision to this effect was taken in a high-level meeting of the Sindh Coal Authority chaired by Sindh Energy and Planning Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah on Thursday. Shah decided that a provincial-level draft policy would be made in relation to the production of liquid gas and urea fertiliser from Thar coal.

The Sindh Coal Authority’s consultant Dr Farid A Malik, Deputy Director Asif Mangi and others were also present in the meeting in which a detailed briefing was given on the production of gas from coal.

Citing some test results, the consultant submitted a new report, according to which Thar coal was declared subject for gasification in the international laboratory of South Africa. The meeting was also informed that as a result of gas production from coal, the country could save about 500 million dollars in foreign exchange annually.

The energy minister was told that in terms of gas import, an energy system from Thar's 175 billion tons of coal reserves could reduce the energy import bill by 50 per cent. It was decided that Shah would personally contact the federal energy minister regarding coal gasification.