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International Consulting Services Conducted |
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International Consulting Services Conducted |
Over the past 5 years since its establishment, China Coalbed Methane Clearinghouse (the Clearinghouse) has actively developed consulting services, in addition to the tasks set by the State Administration of Coal Industry (SACI), China and the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). It has successively provided consulting services to many international agencies such as International Energy Agency (IEA), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and many foreign companies,such as Phillips Petroleum Co. of the US and Wartsila Diesel Company of Sweden. It has promoted international cooperation in coalbed methane in China. It has obtained good economic benefit and raised the popularity of the Clearinghouse at home and abroad.
1.Providing Study Report to the IEA Coal Research
In 1996, entrusted by the IEA Coal Research, the Clearinghouse undertook the study report on ¡°Underground Gas Control in China". During the investigation, the researchers investigated key mining areas and collected large quantities of information. The study report included a detailed investigation of gas accidents at Chinese coal mines, description of coal mine safety supervision agencies and coal mine safety laws and regulations in China, the existing underground gas control technologies as well as their application results, coalbed methane utilization and technology in China, and finally, the technical measures for improving underground gas control and gas utilization.
2.Study Report on CBM Markets and Pipelines Transportation in China
In 1996, entrusted by the Phillips Petroleum Co. of the US, the Clearinghouse completed ¡°Study Report on CBM Markets and Pipelines Transportation in China" jointly with the East-West Center of the US. It studies the relationship between the Chinese energy economy and coalbed methane with the focus on the coalbed methane markets and pipeline transportation conditions of Taiyuan, Shenyang and Fuxin. It described the policies relating to coalbed methane production and marketing and foreign investment policies for energy projects. Based on the results and suggestions of the report, the Phillips Petroleum Co.and China United Coalbed Methane Co.Ltd.signed a contract on June 28, 1998 to explore and develop independently coalbed methane resources in two blocks of Hedong coalfield within Shanxi Province.
3.Undertaking ADB Technical Assistance Project
From February to May 1998, the Clearinghouse undertook the ADB technical assistance project of ¡°Study on Coalbed Methane Production in China" jointly with the British Geological Survey and Dutch Gastec NV. The Clearinghouse dispatched Mr. Wang Wanxing and Mr. Zhu Chao to accompany foreign experts to coal mining administrations of Yangquan, Jincheng and Huaibei for field investigation to understand the status of coalbed methane recovery and utilization. The study report was submitted to ADB by the end of April 1998, and the ADB was satisfied with the report. It suggested that ADB give major support to the establishment of the coalbed methane demonstration project of Yangquan Coal Mining Administration.
In May 1998, Mr. Wang Qinghua, Deputy Division Chief of the Department of Foreign Affairs, SACI and Mr. Huang Shengchu, Deputy Director of the Clearinghouse, accompanied Mr. Edu Hassing, ADB project officer, to go to Yangquan for field investigation. After the investigation and discussions, ADB, SACI and the People's Bank of China signed a memorandum on May 20, 1998 concerning ADB's agreement to provide technical assistance to the second phase of the project, which included: 1) Completion of feasibility study of coalbed methane drainage and utilization of No.5 Mine; 2) Completion of preª²feasibility study of coalbed methane recovery and utilization of Hanzhuangª²Shouyang area. In the latter half of 1998, an expert group organized by the Clearinghouse, ICF of the US and EDL of Australia etc. attended and won the bidding for the second phase of ADB technical assistance project. Mr. Huang Shengchu was invited as a domestic consultant. This ADB project started formally on April 15, 1999. During the implementation of the project,the Clearinghouse sent successively Huang Shengchu, Zhu Chao, Hu Yuhong, Xu Huijun and Sun Xin to accompany foreign experts to Yangquan mining area to work on site. The technical capability and hard working spirit of the staff of the Clearinghouse were highly appraised by the foreign experts. In July 1999, the project expert group submitted the intermediate report to the ADB. On August 30, 1999, the tripartite meeting was held in Beijing, which was attended by experts from ADB, the SACI and Yangquan Coal Group. Mr. Zhu Chao and Ms. Hu Yuhong also attended this meeting. The meeting made the final decision on the extension of the feasibility study of coalbed methane power generation to other 4 coal mines in Yangquan mining area and stressed that the work in the second phase should be focused on the strengthening of the pre-feasibility study of the surface development of coalbed methane in Shouyang area.
4.Assisting Yangquan Coal Group in Applying for the Preferential Government Loan of Sweden and Importing CBM Power Generation Equipment of Wartsila Company, Sweden
In the early 1996, the Clearinghouse had separate meetings with officials of the State Economic and Trade Commission, China and the representative of Ulstan Co. of Norway in China on the establishment of CBM power generation project. The common understanding was reached on applying for the government loans from the North European countries,and Sweden was identified as the main target.
In August 1996, Mr. Sun Maoyuan and Mr. Huang Shengchu accompanied a delegation of Wartsila Diesel Company of Sweden to investigate coalbed methane markets in Yangquan and Tiefa mining areas. Wartsila Company expressed its willingness to provide equipment for CBM power generation demonstration plant, and that the loan from Swedish International Development Agency can be used as investment of the project. In October 1996, Mr. Sun Maoyuan and Mr. Huang Shengchu went to Sweden and investigated the manufacturing plant of Wartsila Diesel Company and visited Swedish International Development Agency. Later, the Clearinghouse submitted a proposal on ¡°Utilization of Foreign Investment to Establish CBM Power Generation Demonstration Project" to the Department of Planning and Development and Department of International Cooperation of the former Ministry of Coal Industry and got their support. From October 1996 to May 1997, the staff of the Clearinghouse organized and attended meetings and negotiation Yangquan CBM power generation demonstration project. In December 1996, the Ministry of Coal Industry officially approved the ¡°Project Proposal on Yangquan CBM Power Generation Plant", and submitted it to the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and State Planning Commission for examination and approval. In March 1997, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation agreed that this project could apply for the Swedish government loan and entrusted the Bank of China to conduct evaluation on the project. In May 1997, Yangquan Coal Mining Administration and Wartsila Diesel Company signed a Letter of Intent on Technical Cooperation. The scale of the first phase of Yangquan CBM power generation demonstration plant was 2 x 2800 kW. During the implementation of the project, the Clearinghouse assisted Wartsila Company in completing the ¡°Study Report of CBM Power Generation Markets in China". However, in 1998, because the production base of Wartsila Gas Engine Co
mpany was moved to Finland, it was impossible for the Swedish International Development Agency to provide above-mentioned loans. At present, Wartsila Company is seeking soft loan from Finland government.
5.Providing Consulting Service for UNDP Project
In June 1992, the UNDP funded the project of ¡°Coalbed Methane Resources Development in China", which covered 4 sub-projects in Songzao, Kailuan and Tiefa Coal Mining Administrations and Xi'an Branch of China Coal Research Institute. The project was completed at the end of 1997. In January 1998, Mr. Huang Shengchu, Deputy Director of the Clearinghouse attended the tripartite review meeting of the UNDP project. The meeting was aimed at summarizing and assessing the implementation of the UNDP project and putting forward suggestions for future work.
6.Providingªª Consulting Services for the APEC Project
The APEC-funded Tiefa Coal Mine Gas Utilization Project was a multilateral project implemented jointly by Japan, the US, Australia and China. The project was implemented in three phases: Phase¢ñ, on-the-spot investigations and selection of site; Phase¢ò, preliminary engineering study; and Phase¡¡¢ó, project design, construction and operation stage. The Clearinghouse was actively involved in the work of Phase ¢ñand Phase ¢ò. In July 1996, the Clearinghouse provided the basic information of the potential mining areas to APEC expert group as the decision-making basis for selecting the demonstration project site. In August 1996, Mr. Huang Shengchu attended the APEC Energy Expert Group Meeting in Beijing and accompanied twice the APEC expert group to investigate Kailuan, Fengcheng, Hebi and Tiefa mining areas in August 1996 and January 1997, respectively. The APEC expert group finally determined Tiefa mining area as the experimental site for the demonstration project.
7.Preparing Materials for the Round-table Meeting of the World Bank
From July to August 1998, the Clearinghouse assisted the AED Company of the US in providing materials for the World Bank Roundª²table Meeting on Coalbed Methane in Washington D.C., which was organized jointly by the World Bank and the US Environmental Protection Agency. The materials provided by the Clearinghouse include: activities of coalbed methane development in China, prospects of coalbed methane development and utilization, management of coalbed methane resources and related laws and regulations, main obstacles to the development of coalbed methane and evaluation on key coalbed methane projects.
8.Other Consulting Services
In the past five years, the Clearinghouse provided consulting services for more than 20 foreign companies. The consulting services covered market study,coalbed methane development and utilization, policies, laws and regulations and project development, etc. In view that coalbed methane development in China is at the start-up stage and in the urgent need of introducing foreign advanced technology and investment, the Clearinghouse provided consulting services to many foreign companies such as the Conoco Petroleum Company, Occidental Petroleum Company, Phillips Petroleum Company, Enron Company, CD Exploration Company, Geomet Co. Ltd., Texaco Petroleum Co., the International Petroleum Engineering and Coalbed Methane Co. and the Eastª²West Center of the US and BHP of Australia. It introduced to these foreign companies the favorable blocks of coalbed methane resources in China and provided background information and prospect analysis. Considering that many mining areas in China lack pipeline transportation facilities, the Clearinghouse actively proposed coalbed methane power generation as one of the optimal options. The Clearinghouse actively assisted Caterpillar Co. Ltd. and Waukesha Dresser of the US and Wartsila Company of Sweden in entering the CBM power generation markets in China. At the same time, it also provided consulting services regarding CBM power generation markets in China to AES Power Company and Panda International Power Corp. of the US, the Japanese Coal Energy Technology Center and Alston Corp. of France. In the aspect of coalbed methane utilization and pipeline transportation, the Clearinghouse provided consulting services to Tyne Tube Services Ltd. of the UK and BOC Corp. of the US.
Liu Xin: Engineer, China Coalbed Methane Clearinghouse, Beijing 100016
