Coal India to seek expression of interest for Coal to Liquid project

Kolkata: Coal India today said it has agreed to float an expression of interest for Coal to Liquid (CTL) project.

"We have authorised Central Coalfield to float EoI for a CTL project at Chatar," Coal India chairman Sutirtha Bhattacharya said here on the sidelines of Coal Consumer Association of India event on coal quality.

Coal India has already sought interest from technology licensors for converting coal to chemical for a commercial project at Dankuni, West Bengal.

The Dankuni project is coal based methanol plant from high calorific of Eastern Coalfields but the Central Coalfield project will be a CTL one which is usually referred as coal to auto fuel.

Though Bhattacharya said details of the project can only be known after we know what kind of technology is brought on the table by expert agencies.

The state-owned firm had discussed with Sasol of South Africa, a leader in coal to liquid (CTL) technology in the past.

Investment potential even can run to the tune of Rs 10,000-12,000 crore in producing hydrocarbons from coal with new age refineries, officials said.

Speaking about coal quality, Bhattacharya said a lot of efforts are been taken to ensure coal quality.

The miner has engaged a consultant to overcome taxation issues with the consumers arising when there is difference between assured coal quality and final delivery.