Close on the heels of Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries seeking coal mines to convert coal into oil, younger brother Anil-run Reliance Natural Resources has applied for coal blocks to turn coal into gas.
Reliance-Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (R-ADAG) president J P Chalasani in a January 14 letter to Coal Secretary H C Gupta sought allocation of "captive coal blocks for the purpose of converting coal to gas."
Mukesh's RIL, which discovered the nation's largest gas field and is building the world's largest oil refining complex at Jamnagar in Gujarat, had sought mining acreage from the government for setting up a coal-to-liquid project with a capacity to synthesise 80,000 barrels of oil per day.
Projecting requirement of 30 million tonnes of coal a year, RIL sought mines with total reserves of 1,500
million tonnes for the project. Chalasani made no mention of coal requirement for his company's coal-gasification project but said R-ADAG was setting up 28,200 MW electricity generation capacity projects.
They include seven coal fired projects (14,620 MW), two gas fired projects (Shahapur 2,800 MW and Dadri 7,480 MW) and four hydroelectric project (3,300 MW).
When contacted, R-ADAG spokesperson refused to comment. Chalasani said RNRL was keen on participating in competitive bidding process, being contemplated by the Coal Ministry for allocation of captive coal blocks, for its projects for converting coal into gas.
"Competitive bidding process will ensure a fair process for allocation and also ensure that the government receives a reasonable value," he wrote.