Thar Desert In Pakistan--- The Treasure of Energy And Gas

RWE is a big power company of Germany, it writes in a latest report that in Germany 1 megawatt electricity, 190 cubic feet natural gas, 160 liter diesel and 60 cubic meter synthetic gas is being produced from 1 ton lignite (brown coal). The same lignite is found in vast quantity in the Thar desert of Pakistan. But poor Pakistanis are bearing the menace of electricity shortage day and night. This is the reflection of the incapability of those who are enjoying power in Islamabad. The coal reserves were discovered in 1991 and during the last 21 years not a single power house has been constructed running with coal.
According to an estimate there is 175 billion tonnes lignite in Thar desert. It is such a large quantity that Pakistan can use for decades and would need any gas or oil to purchase from other countries. Thus Pakistan will save a huge amount of foreign exchange. However, when ruler see their government and power in risk they activate somewhat with new promises to end load shedding.
The initial work was started on coal mines in some areas of Thar and progress was also done regarding UCG( Underground Coal Gasification) power house.UCG is the technique through which gas is obtained when coal is burnt underground and the gas is converted into fuel or electricity.
The Thar coal is distributed in 12 blocks, at present, from where coal will be excavated. Coal is 262 feet below the ground and its thickness ranges from 7 to 74.80 inches.It is proposed that where the thickness of coal is less , work on UCG should be taken up there because it is costly to excavate coal at the site.The renown nuclear scientists Dr Samar Mubarakmand and Dr Muhammad Shabbir have given the task to check the blocks and see whether it is possible to install UCG plants there, because UCG technique is quite new new and still in experimental stage and no where is it used in the world. The team of Dr Samar Mubarak has recently claimed that in the block 5, the underground gasification experiment was successful and gas came out through well and burned in the form of blue flame. Now power station will be constructed there that will generate 100 megawatt electricity during the next 2 years and it will reach to 10000 megawatts gradually.
According to Dr Shabbir there was 1.4 billion ton coal(lignite) in block 5, and it was possible to generate 10000 megawatt electricity during next 20 years that will cost PKR 5 per unit. This power house will produce diesel and fertilizer in large quantity daily. The gasification plant will cost 500 million rupees while power house will be constrcted with a cost of PKR 9.10 billion.
But several scientists have their reservations about the project including Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan and Dr Fareed Malik. Dr Fareed's statement was published in an English Daily saying ," Gasification can only be done on the ground after excavating the coal, UCG is an experimental technology and could not be proved. Dr Samar and his team is misleading the nation. They have already wasted lot of money and 3 year time. They should start excavating the coal with out wasting more time. Mining and nuclear technology are two different disciplines and mining experts be appointed for the task."