Bengal coal gasification project: Bids invited for key air separation unit facility
The proposed coal gasification complex at Paschim Bardhaman in West Bengal is moving ahead, with Coal Gas India Ltd (CGIL) advancing key preparatory steps for the Rs 13,052-crore project to produce synthetic natural gas (SNG), an official said on Sunday. Projects & Development India Ltd, acting as consultant on behalf of CGIL, has invited bids for setting up an Air Separation Unit (ASU) on a Build, Own and Operate (BOO) basis, he said.
The ASU will supply oxygen and nitrogen to the coal gasification complex on a continuous, round-the-clock basis throughout the contract period, said officials, adding that last date for submission of bids for the ASU is January 31.
The project is being implemented through a joint venture company CGIL, in which Coal India holds a 51 per cent stake, and (GAIL) 49 per cent. The JV plans to set up a coal-to-SNG plant at Eastern Coalfield Ltd’s Sanctoria area in Paschim Bardhaman district, using surface coal gasification technology.
The proposed facility is designed to produce 80,000 Nm³ (normal cubic metre) per hour of synthetic natural gas, primarily using low-ash coal supplied by ECL, the official said. The project is aligned with the Centre’s broader push to reduce dependence on imported natural gas by promoting domestic coal gasification.
The plant is scheduled to be commissioned during 2029-30, with construction activities expected to run from January 2027 to August 2028, he said. The Bardhaman coal gasification project forms a part of India’s target to achieve 100 million tonnes of coal gasification by 2030, he added.
