By IANS,
Kolkata: State-run Coal India, which is emphasising on Coal to Liquid (CTL) conversion technology, said a project for development of indigenous catalyst for the process is under implementation.
“One important project for development of indigenous catalyst for Coal-To-Liquid (CTL) is under implementation with an objective to eliminate the dependence on technology provider for supply of catalysts for future CTL plants likely to be established in India,” Coal India Limited (CIL) said in its annual report for 2011-12.
The firm, the world’s largest coal miner, said the prevailing level of prices of crude oil and petroleum products warrants a fresh look at coal liquefaction process.
The rising cost and questions related to adequate and assured supply of oil from overseas sources, have a significant bearing on both the national economy and energy security, it observed.
The coal major said its future research and development (R&D) would address frontier areas like assessment of shale gas potentiality in Indian coal fields, coal bed methane (CBM) reserves estimation and CBM from fugitive emissions from open cast mines, among others.
The company had spent Rs.26.29 crore on R&D in the last financial year.