The Firth of Forth coal field
is arguably the best prospect
for UCG in Europe with an
area measuring approximately
200 km2. The coal basin has
multiple seams of Westphalian ‘lower coal measures’ which
reach substantial thickness in
places. In addition, the deeper coal from the Namurian ‘limestone
coal formation’ is also exploitable. Thornton New Energy Limited was
awarded the first Coal Authority licence (ref. CA11/UCG/0001/N)
in January 2009 to develop Block NT39 in the near-shore Firth of
Forth coalfield by means of Underground Coal Gasification.
LOCATION>>
Block NT39, which contains substantial amounts
of coal, covers approximately 60 km2 of the Firth of Forth, adjacent
to 10 km of the Fife shoreline, with a coastal strip and is therefore
suitable for land-based or offshore drilling.
NO NEED FOR MINING>>
The project will target both the well known “Lower Coal Measures” (Westphalian in age) which have been exploited by conventional mining for hundreds of years and the much deeper “Limestone Coal Formation” (Namurian in age). In all 21 seams appear workable by means of UCG.
