Coal Gasification in Indonesia

This paper is submitted to the Coal Technology Association

The 33th International Technical Conference on Coal Utilization & Fuel Systems
June 1-5, 2008, Sheraton Sand Key Hotel, Clearwater, Florida, USA.

by
Dr. Bukin Daulay
Suganal, Chem. Eng.
Ukar W. Soelistijo, Ph.D (Retired)
Senior Researchers

Research and Development Centre for Mineral and Coal Technology

Agency of Research and Development for Energy and Mineral Resource
Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources
Republic of Indonesia
2007

Acknowledgement
The paper entitled Coal Gasification in Indonesia is submitted to The 33th
International Technical Conference on Coal Utilization & Fuel Systems
June 1-5, 2008, Sheraton Sand Key Hotel, Clearwater, Florida, USA.
This paper is made possible through the cooperation between the colleagues at the
Research and Development Center for Mineral and Coal Technology Bandung, The
Research Centre for Tea and Chincona and The State-owned Fertilizer Plant.

Bandung, November 2007

List of Content

Acknowledgement ...
List of contents
Abstract
1. Introduction .
2. Coal Potentials in Indonesia ..
3. Program and Progress of Coal Gasification in Indonesia ..
4. Chronological Progress of Investigation of Coal Gasification in Indonesia .
4.1 Laboratory scale (at MCTRDC) .
4.2 Pilot plant scale at Gambung Tea Plantation
4.3 Semi Commercial plant scale at Palimanan Cirebon West Java ..
4.4 Future trends
5. International status of large scale coal gasification
6. Concluding remarks ..
References ..
Enclosures ..

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Coal Gasification in Indonesia

by
Dr. Bukin Daulay
Suganal, Chem. Eng.
Ukar W. Soelistijo, Ph.D (Retired)
Senior Researchers at the Research and Development Centre for Mineral and Coal
Technology, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Indonesia
Email: ukar@tekmira.esdm.go.id
Abstract
In lieu with the Indonesia energy policy, due to limited natural oil reserves especially and gas reserves
later on in the country then the utilization of Indonesian coal is very prospective. It means that coal is
ready for making synthetic oil (synoil) as well as synthetic gas (syngas) due to the available large of coal
resources in the country. At the mean time Indonesia is just trying to do investigation of both synthetic fuel
development. In the case of possibility on producing synthetic gas from coal at pilot plant scale, the result
of syngas has been successfully utilized as fuel gas at the tea plantation for drying the tea leaves. Also the
effort of producing syngas from coal substituting diesel oil fuel for diesel generating power plant has been
developed at semi commercial plant scale. Both applications are most likely tech-economically feasible.
Based on the program of coal gasification in Indonesia it is expected that beyond the year of 2011 the
commercial plant would have been developed. The coal resource in the country is amounted to about 61
billion tonnes and enough to satisfy the future demand for energy for another 100-150 years to come.
Key words: Energy diversification, Indonesian coal, coal gasification, synthetic gas.

1.Introduction
As a whole, either direct or indirect utilization of coal would be able to be in function as
bridge of energy from the present era of oil and gas toward the future era of new and
renewable energy. Based on the available coal resource in Indonesia of around 61 billion
tons, it would be able to supply energy as long as 100 years, at the extraction recovery of
75%, at the level of production of 400 million tons of coal per year.
To improve the status of the coal reserves in the country is required to be carried out to
face the transition period from the era of oil and gas to the era of new and renewable
energy, by using the more attractive new incentive of investment, due to the available
coal as the greatest national fossil energy source which could be able to respond it within
the next 150 years to come. It is also expected that the implementation of autonomy does
not restrain the encouragement of the process of investment, however, it is just precisely
to support it for the sake of the regional development. The encouragement of the real
program of coal utilization vertical diversification through briquette making, gasification
and liquefaction is required. The national primary energy mix at the present time coal
consumption is of about 16.92% (or 1057.89 million BOE) out of the total national
primary energy demand of 1057.89 million BOE and is projected to be around of 32.7% 34.5 % (or 1003.4 1084.1 million BOE) out of the total national primary energy
demand of 3138.9 3151.4 million BOE in the year of 2025 7).
The exacerbation of the national energy development program is also required, in terms
of carrying out completely exploration in order to obtain the final measured reserves of
coal, where within the period of 100-150 years, it is required exactly the certainty of life
time of coal reserves in the country, so that while within that period of time coal will

have been exhausted and there will be still a lead time to develop new and renewable
energy sources at intensive commercial scale.
A balance re-allocation of national depletion allowance is necessarily required which is
split from the revenue coming from the fossil mineral fuel to support the intensive
resource exploration as well the development of technology of utilization anticipating the
ever increasing national energy demand in the future. In the long term, utilization of coal
as fuel is necessarily extended to be as raw material of the advanced industry, or not just
as fuel, which is having added value that is greater than that of just as fuel.
2.Coal Potentials in Indonesia
Coal resource potential in Indonesia is mainly distributed in two islands i.e. Sumatera
island and Kalimantan island. It is amounted to 61 billion tonnes, where 53% is mainly
located in eastern and southern Kalimantan and 47% in southern Sumatera area. The
remainder is distributed in other areas of the country. (See Figure 1.1 and Table 1.1). The
characteristics of the coal reserves can be seen on Table 1.2, where13% is high calorific
value of coal and the remainder is mostly low and moderate calorific value of coal or low
rank coal. It is known that low rank coal is suitable for gasification process.
3. Program and Progress of Coal Gasification in Indonesia
Program of coal gasification in Indonesia can be seen on Figure 3.1. The progress can be
figured out as follows. Based on the laboratory scale results of investigation, gasification
at the pilot plant scale had been successfully carried out at the tea plantation for drying
tea leaves. The capacity of the gasification pilot plant is 50 kg of coal per day at
Gambung West Java. Presently the another pilot plant of gasification has been developed
to produce low Btu gas for substituting diesel oil fuel in the diesel generating power
plant.
4. Chronological Progress of Investigation of Coal Gasification in Indonesia
Actually the utilization of gas produced from coal had been carried out since the Dutch
occupation era through gasification plant by using coal carbonization technology that
produced coke besides town gas. The utilization of coal through gasification for tea leaf
drying at the tea plantation has been conducted by RDCMCT at Gambung Ciwidey, West
Java. Utilization coal through gasification is necessarily encouraged at large scale of
production under the consideration with the reality that the large amount of low rank coal
is available in the country, in the purpose of meeting the larger demand for fuel e.g.
fertilizer plant. Material survey had been carried out by the Team of Coal Gasification of
the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of Indonesia in 1997-2001 in the purpose
of taking inventory the characteristics of the Indonesian coals and the various world-wide
technology of coal gasification, even the effort was enlarged on the possibility on
utilizing coal bed methane that is very large available associated within the coal seam
deposit.
4.1 Laboratory scale (at RDCMCT)
Laboratory Scale of Indonesian Coal Gasification Using Fluidized Reactor (Figure 4.0).
4.2 Pilot plant scale at Gambung Tea Plantation (Figure 4.1)
At the stage of pilot plant scale investigation on the tea leaf drying at the tea plantation,
the production of 1 kg dry tea leaf requires 0.3-1.5 liter of subsidized diesel fuel. The

component of fuel cost is around 11-20% and it depends on the type of tea leaf. The
comparison of fuel utilization, if the diesel fuel is used of about 20 liters/hour, while by
using coal is of around 40 kg/hour through gasification. By using coal will reduce the
cost of 40%. The price of diesel fuel is of Rp. 513.37/liter (US$ 0.06/liter) and the price
of coal is of Rp. 500/kg (US$ 0.056/kg). Based on the price of diesel fuel is of
Rp.5,400/liter (US$ 0.6/liter) and coal is of Rp 500/kg, it looks likely that gasification of
coal could be promising and competitive. The capacity of gasification unit is of 50 kg of
coal per hour, where the capital investment of Rp. 200 million (around US$ 22,300) is
required.
4.3 Pilot plant scale of synthetic gas for diesel generating power plant at Palimanan
Cirebon West Java (Figure 4.2).
Presently the pilot plant of gasification has been developed to produce low Btu gas for
substituting diesel oil fuel in diesel generating power plant. The capacity is of 200 kg of
coal per hour to produce low Btu gas of 2.88 million BTU per hour and it is able to
supply a diesel generating power plant of 250 kVA by using fuel mix of 80-90% of
synthetic gas and 20-10 % of diesel oil fuel for initiating ignition.
4.4 Future trends
Coal gasification is most likely prospective in the future, in consideration with the
national energy policy and the ever increasing uneasiness on the environmental impact
due to effect of coal burning emission. Moreover, besides as fuel, synthesis gas from coal
can also utilized as raw material of various chemical industry, synthetic fuel oil, and
synthetic natural gas (SNG). In lieu with the National Energy Policy, which directs the
Indonesian coal utilization on clean coal technology application, the Agency for Energy
and Mineral R & D Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources would continuously
carries out of making low calorific gas for small/moderate industry and generating power
plant, and making moderate calorific gas for fuel or farther processed to produce
synthesis gas (syngas), then it could be utilized as raw material of chemical industry,
fertilizer, synthetic fuel oil, and synthetic natural gas.
The other scale of gasification from the international world-wide has been studied and
compiled by the Team of Coal Gasification of the Indonesia Ministry of Energy and
Mineral Resources to support the efforts of enlarging coal gasification to support energy
diversification in the country in the future.
In 2009 it is expected that the first commercial plant would be developed and wellequipped with a continuous construction for ammonia, liquid fuel, hydrogen supply and
other chemical production.
It is programmed a utilization of synthesis gas to produce fertilizer under the cooperation
between the Agency of R&D for Energy and Mineral Resource, the State-owned
Fertilizer Company (PT. Pupuk Sriwijaya (PT. PUSRI)) and Japan (IHI & Sojitz) (Figure
4.3)
5. International status of large scale coal gasification
International status of several large scale coal gasification can be seen on Figures 5.1 and
5.2. It may includes several processes as follows: Twin Ichikawa-Harima Heavy
Industries Gasifier, commercial syngas plant and its application and its economic
viability.

6. Concluding remarks
6.0 The utilization of low Btu gas produced from coal at the pilot plant scale has been
conducted in the tea plantation for drying tea leaf. It is actually very promising
technologically as well as economically, then it is necessary to socialize more intensive to
the entrepreneurs who are interested to develop the plant at large scale of production by
guaranteeing supply of coal sufficiently.
6.1 The compensation of oil fuel subsidy elimination in the country should be given to
both the poorer and last but not least to the program of energy substitution development
of initiating its intensive utilization at transition era of fossil fuels or coal and oil and gas
to satisfy the future national demand for energy.
6.2 Outlook toward gasification of coal
If the effort of coal liquefaction of South Sumatra coal is cancelled due to its noncompetitive price or the coal liquefaction of the other coal areas (East Kalimantan and
South Kalimantan) is promising due to its closer location to the port or beach, then the
South Sumatra coal could be utilized through either UBC or gasification.
In the case of gasification of South Sumatra coal, where the large State-owned Fertilizer
Company is nearby located, is possible to carried out by using the world-wide
conventional and commercial technology, e.g. in the USA used for steam power
generating plant and producing other by-products such as sulfur, ammonia, etc., besides
supplying gas for fertilizer industry in Indonesia.
References
1. BPPT , NEDO, Kobe Steel Ltd., Feasibility Study on Direct Liquefaction of Banko Coal in Indonesia,
March 2002.
2. Ditjen Migas, 2000, Oil & Gas Staistik of Indonesia, 1996-2000, Jakarta.
3. Directorate of Mineral and Coal Enterprises, Coal, Directorate General of Geology and Mineral
Resources, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Jakarta, July, 2003.
4. Heryadi, D, dkk, 2003, Pengembangan Gasifikasi Batubara, Litbang tekMIRA No.: 36.2003.
5. Miller, R.L., 1978, Intermediate Economics: Theory, Issues, and Applications, McRAW-Hill,Inc.,
USA.
6. Pusat Informasi Energi, Departemen energi dan Sumber Daya Mineral, Buku Pegangan Statistik
Ekonomi Energi Indonesia 2002, Mei 2002.
7. Pusat Data dan Informasi Energi dan Sumaber Daya Mineral,2006,Ringkasan Laboran Kajian Blueprint
Pengelolaan Energi Nasional 2005-2025, Jakarta.
8. Pusat Informasi Energi, 2002, Prakiraan Energi Indonesia 2010, Departemen Energi dan Sumber
Daya Mineral.
9. Soelistijo, U.W., 1984, Evaluation of the Potential economic Benefit of Coal-Oil Substitution in the
Indonesian Economy: An Interindustry Approach, West Virginia University, University Microfilms
International, MI 48106.
10. Soelistijo, U W, Suseno, T, Suherman, I, Tinjauan Ekonomi Pengembangan Briket Batubara Sebagai
Salah satu Sumber Energi Alternatif BBM, Prosiding Kolokium Pertambangan dan Energi 2001,
Bandung. (Dipublikasikan dalam Buku : Ekonomi Regional dan Model penerapannya: Pengembangan
Sumber Daya Mineral dan Energi Dalam Rangka Otonomi Daerah di Indonesia, Puslitbang teknologi
Mineral dan Batubara, ISBN 979-8641-31-0, 2003).
11. Soelistijo, Ukar W, Saepudin, R, Suseno, T, Palamba,S,Economic Evaluation of the NEDO (Japan)BPPT (Indonesia) Feasibility Study on the Indonesia Banko Coal Liquefaction, 2002, The
Proceedings of the 28th International Technical Conference on Coal Utilization 7 Fuel System, March
10-13, 2003, Clearwater, Florida, USA.
12. Tim Gasifikasi Batubara, 2000, Laporan Gasifikasi Batubara Indonesia: Volume I 1997-1998, Volume
II 1998-1999, Volume III 1999-2000,, Departemen Energi dan Sumber Daya Mineral.

Enclosures

FIGURE 1.1 MAP OF COAL DISTRIBUTION IN

INDONESIA

T able 1.1 Indonesian C oal Resource and Reserv e

(2005)
N
o

QUALITY
ISLAND

1 JAVA
.

2 SUMATERA
.

3 KALIMANTAN
.

4 SULAWESI
.

5 MALUKU
.

6 PAPUA
.

Calorivic Value

Criteria

Low - Moderate

< 5100 6100

RESOURCE
(Million Tonnes)

RESERVE

19,24

0,00

2,97

0,00

High Very High

6100 >7100

Low - Moderate

< 5100 6100

26.872,5

2.636,62

High Very High

6100 7100

1.780,66

134,11

Low - Moderate

< 5100 6100

25.375,69

2.769,01

High Very High

6100 7100

6.844,44

1.219,1

Low - Moderate

< 5100 6100

218,42

0,06

High Very High

6100 7100

14,68

0,00

2,13

0,00

Low

< 5100

Rendah - Sedang

< 5100 6100

120,35

0,00

Tinggi - Sangat Tinggi

6100 7100

30,91

0,00

JUMLAH SUMBER DAYA INDONESIA 2005

61.273,99

6.758,90

T able 1.2
R

C O AL PRO PE RT IE S O F
INDO NE S IA

Total Moisture

Volatile Matter

Fixed Carbon :

Ash

U
A
L
I
T
Y

: 15 45 %
: 25 45 %
30 50 %
< 10 %
<2%

:
:

Total Sulfur

Maceral :
Vitrinite
> 80 %
Inertinite < 3 %
Liptinite 3 30 %

Figure 3.1 Program of Syngas Production from Coal Gasification

in Indonesia

2005 2006 2007

2008 2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Optimization for lignite by pilot

scale (6t/d) at IHI Japan

Prototype plant di Indonesia (30~50t/d )

Design

Const.

Operation
Operation start

First commercial plant

Design

Construction

Second

Design

Construction

Continuous construction for ammonia,

liquid fuel, hydrogen supply
and other chemical production.

Figure 4.1 Direct Use Application

Tea Dryer
Hot Air

Clean (Cold) Air

Flue Gas

Specification:
-Cap.40-50 kgs of
of coal per hour.
-Diam of reactor:
0.80 m.
-Heoght of reactor:
1.53 m.
-Temperature of gas
in the burner: 500-800C

Reactor

Heat
Exchanger

- Agro-Dryer
- Burner
Cylco
Burner

Reduce fuel cost up to 60%

Figure 4.2 CoalCoal-gas mix (dual fuel) for Diesel Generating

Power Plant, Palimanan West Java

Coal
Air

Reactor

Raw Gas

Pemurnian

Clean Gas

Diesel fuel
oil
Eleectricity

Diesel
generating
power plant

Tar dan particles

Air/steam

Reducing diesel fuel oil up to

Status:
Trial run

80-90 %

Figure 4.3 Program of utilizing Syngas at

the Fertilizer Plant
(In cooperation between Agency for Energy and Mineral Resources R&D PT
PUSRI Japan (IHI &Sojitz)

PT.Pupuk-Kujang, Cikampek Indonesia

Figure 5.1 Several types of coal gasification process

Lurgi: fixed bed, 700-1000 o C, pressure 35 bar, cap. 35-50.000 Nm3 gas/hour,
low rank coal/hard, particle size 6-40 mm, product of gas (%)
H2 = 38, CO = 21, CO2 = 28, CH4 = 11.
Winkler : fluidized bed, 1000 0C, pressure 1 bar, cap. 17-2000 Nm3
gas/hour, low rank coal/hard, particle size 0-8 mm,
product of gas (%): H2= 40, CO=35, CO2 = 20, CH4 = 1-2.
Koppers-Totzek: entrained-bed, 1000 0C, pressure 1 bar, cap. 20.000 Nm3
gas/hour, all kinds of coal, particle size 0,1 mm, product of
Gas (%) H2 = 31, CO= 58, CO2 = 10, CH4 = 0,1,
cost of production = $4,75/mmBTU
Tigar: reactan (gasifier & combustor) = steam, 1 ton lignite = 400-700 Nm3
syngas, product of gas H2=56%, CO=18%, CO2 =18%, CH4 = 6%,
CH yang lain 2%. Cost of production = $3,5/mmBTU.

Figure 5.2 The product of Syngas

Price of Syngas

CH4
6%

Type
ofGasifier

Other HC
2%

CO2
18%

H2
56%
CO
18%

Entrained
Bed
Tigar

H2
CO
CO2
CH4
Other HC

Tigar
Co-prod

1 tonne of Lignite = 400 700 m3N

ofSyngas

10

Cost of
production
(US$/MMBTU)

4.75
3.5
3