BHUBANESWAR: The coal gasification based urea plant of Talcher Fertilisers Limited (TFL) will be commissioned in September 2023. "Commitment of more than Rs 8,000 has been made so far by TFL under various contracts. Pre-project activities like site grading, construction of power and water supply facilities are near completion," Union Fertilisers Secretary Chhabilendra Rout told media persons here on Monday.
Giving a progress report of the Rs 13,277 crore project of Fertilizer Corporation of India Ltd (FCIL) at Talcher in Angul district, Rout said that development of the captive coal mine allotted to the plat in Talcher region has commenced. He said the plant will promote alternative use of domestic coal in an environment-friendly manner, thereby supporting India's commitments under the CoP 21 Paris Agreement 2016 and it will produce 2.38 million metric standard cubic meter per day (MMSCMD) natural gas equivalent syngas from coal, leading to reduction in import bill of liquefied natural gas (LNG) by more than 1,620 crore per annum.
The TFL is one of the five sick fertiliser plants being revived by jointly by Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF), Coal India Limited (CIL) and Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL).
The Talcher project will have a production capacity of 1.27 MTPA of neem-coated urea through the gasification of a mixed feedstock comprising of high ash Indian coal and pet coke to be supplied by the Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL).
The Union Secretary said that the project will have a design capacity of 2,200 tonnes per day (TPD) of ammonia and 3,850 TPD of urea. It will also produce around 100 TPD of sulphur plakes as a saleable by-product.
The Talcher project is expected to improve the socio-economic status of the people as it will generate employment opportunity for 10,000 people during construction period and around 4,000 direct and indirect employment after commissioning.
In September last year, TFL awarded a lump-sum turnkey (LSTK) contract to Wuhuan Engineering of China, for implementing its coal gasification unit for production of ammonia and urea.
The coal gasification technology for the plant will be provided by Wuhan Engineering Company of China having rich EPC (engineering, procurement, construction) experience in coal gasification plants, Rout added.