UCG Engineering Ltd
Who are we, What can we do
Who are we
UCGE is a company with its core expertise in the assessment and management of UCG projects. UCGE provides background research, pre-feasibility studies, detailed design of the underground UCG process and support equipment, studies of the environmental issues, economic assessments for power and hydrogen production and the processing of UCG product gas for carbon capture and sequestration. It has accumulated literature on UCG, which dates back to the 1960s and other unpublished material.
UCGE has a network of geologists with detailed and wide experience of UCG, and calls upon its network which comprises expertise from individual specialists, companies and research centres with experience in geological 3D modelling, hydrogeology, seismic exploration, drilling and completion. The first option will always be to source the required expertise locally, and it is anticipated that much of the exploration, mining and drilling capability will be found in locally. Specialist drilling, advanced completions and UCG engineering are the most likely technologies to be imported.
The team at UCGE has been involved in UCG for over 11 years. Responsibilities have included:
- Management of the European UCG Trial in Spain (1996-1999),
- Advisors to the UK Department of Trade & Industry to undertake the DTIs UCG Initiative (1999-2005)
- Consultants to various organisation around the world on UCG (1999-present)
UCGE has supervised the following studies in associated areas which could be covered in the research review:
- UK evaluation of coal resources for UCG.
- Environmental impact and European regulatory regime for UCG.
- Clean-up of UCG product gas SOx, NOx, heavy metals and particulates.
- Sustainability issues and literature relevant to UCG and comparisons with alternative clean energy processes like IGCC and gas turbines.
- CO2 capture and sequestration processes.
- Directional drilling in coal and completion technology, including CRIP.
- Economic models and application to UCG.
UCGE has developed tailored site selection criteria for new UCG and has direct experience of producing outline designs for UCG projects. Other areas are the identification of the causes of project failure, which range from adverse geological or hydro-geological conditions to plant and regulatory failures. It manages each stage of this process and established back-up positions in the event of geological failure. In the areas of environmental health and safety and regulatory control it can provide:
- The contents of environmental impact assessments (EIAs)
- Groundwater Regulations (Europe and US)
- Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control legislation (IPPC)
- Large Combustion Plant Directive (LPCD)
- Air Quality Requirements (European legislation)
Detailed studies of the environmental issues have been undertaken of UCG under UCGE supervision, including the requirements for Regulatory Approval.
UCGE has spreadsheet models for the economic evaluation of UCG, and studies have been undertaken of both UCG and CBM. The methodology provides an opportunity to undertake rapid economic assessments for specific site locations in different energy markets. UCGE can provide much of the input data for the economic study, particularly in the area of coal drilling, where a special study has been undertaken.
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