PME 221

Coal and Peat Resources of

Bangladesh
Group: D

Members:
Mashad Yaqub Khan (2013336010)
Syed Tanimul Haque (2013336034)
Fazlul Karim Akash (2013336040)
Rafin Hasan (2013336026)
Noor Hasan (2013336046)

01 September 2016
 What is Coal ?
Coal is a readily combustible
sedimentary rock composed
essentially of lithified plant
materials. More specifically it is a
readily combustible rock containing
more than 70% by volume of organic
material formed from induration of
plant remains.
 Rank of coal
1. Lignite or Brown Coal

2. Sub-bituminous Coal

3. Bituminous Coal

4. Anthracite Coal
 Coal Resources Of Bangladesh
Coal field Year of Discovered by Depths of coal No. of coal Reserve (million
(district) discovery seams (meter) seam metric ton)

Barapukuria 1985 GSB 18-5106 6 390

(Dinajpur)

Phulbari 1997 BHP 150-204 2 572

(Dinajpur)

Khalashpir 1989 GSB 257-480 8 685

(Rangpur)

Dighipara 1995 GSB 328-407 7 600

(Dinajpur)

Jamalganj 1962 SVOC 640-1158 7 1053

(Jaipurhat)
 Coal Reserves in
Bangladesh
The total reserve of coal in four coal
fields (Barapukuria, Phulbari,
Khalashpir and Dighipara) is
estimated at about 2250 million
tones. The Jamalganj field has an
estimated coal deposit of about 1050
million tones, but not economically
viable.
Barapukuria
Coal field
The Barapukuria coalfield was discovered
by the geological survey of Bangladesh
(GSB) in 1985 at depth of 159 meter. This
was the first major coal discovery in
shallow mineable depth in Bangladesh.It is
located the Parbatipur thana of Dinajpur
district, at a distance of about 50 km
southeast of Dinajpur town. The
Barapukuria underground coal mine
commenced operation in 2005 and
continues coal production to date.
Barapukuria Coalfield
Coal SeamDepth and Thickness

There are six coal layers (seams) reffered to from

top to bottom , as seam 1 ,2 ,3 ,4 , 5, 6 ,encounted
within Gondwana rock unit in Barapukuria basin
( Wardell Armstrong 1991 ). The coal seams occur at
depth ranging from 118 m to 506 m below the
surface. Three of the coal seams, i.e. 2 , 4 ,6 are
major . Among these three seams, 6 is the thickest
and most consistent over the basin,. Seam 2, 4 are
relatively less consistent though significant. The
average thickness of coal seam 2, 4, 6 are 8 m, 6 m,
36 m respectively. The remaining three coal seams
i.e. 1, 3, 5 are discontinuous and irregular. The coal
seams contain occasional bands of carbonates
mudstone and thus show inhomogeneity in quality
across their thickness.
Coal Quality

The Barapukuria Coal is low

sulfur, high volatile bituminous
coal. Coal seam 6 is the
thickest among the six seams
and contains 90% of the total
reserve & this is the only seam
which will be mined.
 Coal Reserve in Barapukuria coal field
Coal Seam Nature Average Reserve (million ton)
thickness
(meter) Demonstrated Inferred

1. Irregular, discontinuous
and limited
4.6 - 1

Relatively consistent
2. 8.2 14 -

Irregular, discontinuous
3. and limited
2.0 - 4

Relatively consistent
4. 6.4 18 -

5. Discontinuous, limited 4.1 - 17

Consistent
6. 36 271 64

Total Coal Reserve 303 86

 Coal Production
S.N Financial Year Producton (MT)
1 2015-2016(6 months) 564,615

2 2014-2015 675,775
3 2013-2014 947,124
4 2012-2013 854,804
5 2011-2012 835,000
6 2010-2011 666,635
7 2009-2010 704,658
8 2008-2009 827,845
9 2007-2008 677,098
10 2006-2007 388,376
11 2005-2006 303,016
12 During Construction 178,181

13 Total 7,623,038
 Coal production in Barapukuria mine (TMT)
1000
947

900 854
827 835
800
704
700 677 666 675

600 564

500

388
Thousand metric ton 400
303
300

200

91 87
100

Financial Year
Phulbari
Coal field
The Phulbari coal field was discovered in 1997 by
the Australian mining company BHP Minerals. The
discovery was the result of an exploration
program undertaken by BHP during 1994 -1997 in
several blocks in north Bengal which were lease
out to the company for the coal exploration .
The Phulbari coal field is located about 10 km
south of the Barapukuria coal field and in the
vicinity of Phulbari town ship. The coal extends
towards southeast from the town .The coalfield
is located close to the new dual gauge rail line .
 Coal seams and coal quality
Thickness Ash(airdried) SpecificEnergy TotalSulpher
Seam (ad) (ad)

Range Average Range Average Range Average Range Average

(m) (m) (%) (%) (MJ/kg) (MJ/kg) (%) (%)

Upper 2.6-11.6 10.6 11.9- 16.5 25.8- 27.3 0.6-2.8 1.1

24.6 28.6

Main 8.8-39.5 22.6 12.4- 15.8 25.7- 27.7 0.5-2.1 0.9

21.3 29.1
 Coal Resource

Category Tonnes (millions)

Measured 288

Indicated 244

Inferred 40

Total 572
Khalashpir
coalfield
Khalashpir coalfield is located
in Pirganj upzilla of Rangpur
district, about 13km west of
Pirganj town. The coalfield is
about 35km to the southeast of
Barapukuria coal field. Its
discovered in 1989 by Geologic
Survey of Bangladesh.
 Coal seam- Depth and
thickness
Well name GDH-45 GDH-46 GDH-47
Coal zone I 285 318 257
Coal zone II 353 341 269
Coal zone III 369 364 281
Coal zone IV 416 368 288
Coal zone V 467 379 310
Coal zone VI 449 398 317
Coal zone VII 462 407 322
Coal zone VIII 481 425 378
 Coal quality
Coal zone Average Average characteristics of coal in different zones
thickness of
coal (m) Ash % Volatile Fixed Total Gross
matter % carbon % sulphur % calorific
value
(Btu/lb)

I 16.9 18.0 21.8 57.4 0.84 11753

II 9.9 18.3 17.4 60.4 0.96 11505

III 1.2 24.9 40.42 51.3 0.69 10782

IV 6.9 17.5 24.0 57.0 0.90 11757

V 2.2 26.7 22.6 49.8 0.74 10725

VI 2.6 27.3 23.4 48.6 0.65 10436

VII 1.6 19.9 25.3 54.3 0.87 11580

VIII 1.3 19.6 23.7 53.9 0.51 11575

Average 21.8 22.8 54.1 0.77 11264

 Coal Reserve in
khalashpir coalfield
Coal zone Area Average Proved reserve Total
thickness (million ton) probable
Proved Probable (m) Individual Total reserve
zone (million
ton)

I 16.9 56.3
II 9.9 33.0

III 1.2 4.0
IV 6.9 23.1

V 2.7 7.5
2.52 sq. 12.26 sq. 142 685
VI km km 2.6 8.8
VII 1.6 5.5
VIII 1.3 4.3
Jamalganj
coalfield
The Jamalganj coalfield is located
in Jaipurhat district in the vicinity
of jamalganj town and to the west
of the north-south broad-gauge
railway line. The coalfield was
discovered in 1962 by the Geological
Survey under the UN sponsored coal
exploration program.
 Coal seams-depth
Well Western part Eastern part
number
EDH-5 EDH-6 EDH-7 EDH-8b EDH-9 EDH-10 EDH-11

Seam I 913 Missing Missing Missing Missing 867 Missing

Seam II 940 786 699 614 876 892

Seam III 1000 930 838 725 659 909 977

Seam IV 1037 995 882 807 679 967 1005

Seam V 1070 1018 942 866 Hole 1024 1036

terminat
Seam VI 1126 1102 981 902 ed 1109 1093
earlier

Seam VII United with seam VI 1014 Missing 1124 1101

 Coal seams-thickness
Borehole Western part Eastern
# part
Seam# EDH-5 EDH-6 EDH-7 EDH-8 EDH-9 EDH-10 EDH-11

Coal 1.52 - - - - 12.68 -

seam I
Coal 4.56 12.46 4.26 7.9 5.17 2.56 3.19
seam II
Coal 19.41 4.26 20.37 20.67 8.87 40.76 46.82
seam III
Coal 20.22 7.9 10.34 24.78 4.55 5.22 8.97
seam IV
Coal 2.36 5.17 13.68 20.98 - 16.42 16.42
seam V
Coal - 2.56 7.6 10.99 - 6.04 6.04
seam VI
Coal - 319 15.05 - - 15.8 15.81
 Coal rank and quality
M/s Robertson research M/s Waheduddin and
International (1976) Zaher (1965)

Ash Av. 24.2% Av. 22.4% (range 10-60%)

Volatile matter Av. 36.9% - (range 30-40%)

Fixed carbon Av. 36.7 Av. 47.0% (range 33-54%)

Moisture Av. 3.58% -

Sulphur Av. 0.55% Av. 0.65%

Calorific value Av. 11.878 Btu/lb Av. 12100 Btu/lb

 Coal Reserve of Jamalganj
Coal seam number Range of thickness (m) Coal reserves (million ton)
After Rahman & zahan after M/S fried Krupp
(1980) (1969)
I 1.5 m to 2.6 m Ignored

II 2.5 m to 12.4 m 39.5

III 4.2 m to 46.8 m 526.8

IV 4.5 m to 24.7 m 32.4

V 2.6 m to 20.9 m 30.0

VI 2.6 m to 10.9 m 50.83

VII 3.1 m to 15.8 m 374.4

Total Reserve 1053.9

 Economic Value of coal in
Bangladesh
Coal is being used in the country mainly
for electricity and brick manufacturing
generation. In 2010 and 2012, the shares
of coal based power in the total power
generated in the country are 4% and 2%
respectively. Government has already
initiated work for establishment coal
based power plant with 1350 MW at
Rampal. Coal is also being used for home
cooking in rural area.
Projection of relativ e shares of gas,oil and coal in electricity generation upto 2030 (After JICA 2011)
100
Gas Oil
90 88
Coal Other
80

70
65
62
60 59
60
54
50
50
percentage

40
35 36

30
30 27 26 25
24
22
20 18 19
14
11 11
10 8 8 8
6 6 6
4 3 2 4 5
2
0
2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2025 2030
Year
Peat
 Nature and Origin of Peat

Peat is a heterogenous mixture of partly

decomposed plant matrials accumulated
in water saturated environment. It has a
calorific value between 5500 Btu/lb and
7000 Btu/lb.
Peat originates from decomposition of
plant materials in a water saturated
anaerobic environment, commonly in
swamp, bogs and lake.
 Peat deposit in Bangladesh
Location Districts Arial extent Average Reserve (dry
(sq. km) thickness of peat) (million
peat later (m) ton)

Baghia Chanda Madaripur and 518 2 125

beel Gopalganj

Kola Mouza Khulna 39 2 8

9.5 N.A 2.1

Moulvibazar Moulvibazar
4.5 N.A 0.76

Pagla Sunamganj 11.5 1 1.8

Chorkai Sylhet 11.6 0.8 1.8

Katenga- Brahmanbaria - - 0.75

Mukundpur

Hakaluki lake Sylhet and 100 - 200

Moulvibazar
 Economic value of peat in
Bangladesh
Although important deposit of peat has been
discovered in Bangladesh, no use of the peat has been
yet been made on a commercial basis. Peat
briquetting pilot plant in Baghia Chanda beel was set
up by Petrobangla in 1993-94 in Madaripur district. 10
MW peat fired pilot power plant is suggested in Kola
Mouza peat deposit in Khulna. Peat is being used for
domestic cooking, small cottage industries and small
scale (10 MW) power generating plant. Peat may not
make any significant impact on the overall energy
scenario, but its benefit to the otherwise energy
starved rural population will certainly be significant.
Thank You