Archive · 26 Aug 2026
Coal Advisor Reviews India’s First Underground Gasification Pilot Project
India is testing a way to turn coal into gas while the coal is still underground.
The test project is located at Kasta near the Jharkhand-West Bengal border.
Coal Ministry advisor B. Veera Reddy visited the site to check its progress.
Eastern Coalfields Limited and the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute are leading the work.
A Canadian company is helping with the technology.
The project began exploratory drilling on June 22, 2024.
Officials say it is nearing the end of its trial stages and may soon be evaluated for commercial use.
India hopes coal gasification can reduce its need to import some fuels and industrial materials.
Coal Ministry Advisor B. Veera Reddy inspected the underground coal gasification pilot project at Kasta, Jharkhand.
The project is managed by Eastern Coalfields Limited with the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute as implementing agency.
Canada’s Ergo Exergy Technologies Inc. is providing technical expertise for the pilot plant.
Launched with exploratory drilling on June 22, 2024, the two-year project is nearing completion of its trial phases.
The initiative supports India’s goal of gasifying 100 million tonnes of coal and lignite annually by 2030.
- Who
- Coal Ministry Advisor B. Veera Reddy visited a project led by Eastern Coalfields Limited and the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute, with technical support from Ergo Exergy Technologies Inc.
- What
- He reviewed India’s first underground coal gasification pilot project and its implementation status.
- When
- The visit took place on Tuesday; exploratory drilling began on June 22, 2024, and the programme is planned to run for two years.
- Where
- At Kasta West, spanning the Raniganj and Pandaveswar areas along the West Bengal-Jharkhand border.
- Why
- The project aims to test the technical feasibility of producing syngas underground and support India’s coal-gasification goals.
- Project
- Underground Coal Gasification Pilot Research and Development Project
- Location
- Kasta West, across the West Bengal-Jharkhand border
- Lead organisations
- Eastern Coalfields Limited and the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute
- Technical partner
- Ergo Exergy Technologies Inc. of Canada
- Programme structure
- Two-year, two-phase research and development programme
- National target
- Gasification of 100 million tonnes of coal and lignite by 2030
- Government support
- The Union Cabinet approved a Rs 37,500 crore incentive framework for surface coal and lignite gasification projects