Jharkhand State PCS

• 21 Sep 2021

Coal India Limited's First Commercial Extraction of Coal Bed Methane

Why in News

• On September 20, 2021, a contract was signed between Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), a subsidiary of Coal India and Prabha Energy Pvt Ltd (PEPL) in Dhanbad, Jharkhand for the extraction of the first commercial coal bed methane.

Key Points

• Under the contract, PEPL will act as the developer of Jharia Coal Bed Methane Block-1 of Jharia Coal Fields.
• Central Mine Planning Design Institute (CMPDI) is the lead implementing agency (PIA) for the implementation of this project.
• This extraction is part of Coal India's efforts to reduce methane emissions. In addition, CBM (coal bed methane) extraction prior to coal mining will reduce the incidence of explosions and arson during mining in coal mines, thereby increasing the safety of workers working in underground coal mines.
• In addition, the extraction of CBM will also enable the use of energy, which is wasted during mining.
• It is noteworthy that CBM is a form of natural gas, which is obtained from coal deposits. It is a non-conventional source of energy, which is being used in various countries in industries like cement, rolling mills, steel plants etc.