SOUVENIR COMMITTEE - Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany

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Training Programme on “PALYNOLOGY IN FOSSIL FUEL EXPLORATION” [ September 10-17, 2012 ] FUNDAMENTALS OF COAL PETROLOGY ALOK K. SINGH Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, Rae Bareli-229316 asingh@rgipt.ac.in, singhalokk@yahoo.co.in It is a well instituted concept that coal is heterogenous organic sedimentary rock constituted dominantly of organic matter along with variable amounts of assorted minerals. The mineral matter occurs essentially as discrete mineral species having an extremely variable particle size and wide range of concentration. The organic constituents of coal are derived from the plant kingdom and subjected to intricate chemical and biochemical processes before their proper stratification and carbonization. These processes induce significant chemical and physical alterations in the original plant material and eventually transform them into a number of physically distinct entities, which can be identified and described at megascopic and microscopic scale. The organic constituents of coal at megascopic scale are called 'Lithotypes' Whereas the optically distinguishable entities are called 'maceral’. Scientists have described four different types of lithotypes in bituminous coals on the basis of their physical dissimilarities such as colour, luster, texture and type of stratification. These are vitrain, clarain, durain and fusian. The macerals of coal are equivalent to mineral in rocks, even though the criteria for a natural solid to be called mineral do not hold good for macerals. A particular maceral may differ in optical properties and chemical composition in coals of various ranks. Based on morphology and other optical properties, macerals of coal are broadly classified into three groups, viz. Vitrinite, Liptinite and Inertinite. Further these group macerals can be classified into different submacerals. International Committee for Coal Petrology (1971,75, 1994 and 1998) has suggested a scheme for maceral classification which is being followed for coal microscopy or coal petrology throughout the world. Apart from macerals, coals constitute variable quantity of inorganic matter called mineral matter. A wide spectrum of minerals is reported from coals but the most dominant minerals in coals are clays, carbonates, silica and various forms of sulphur (sulphide, sulphates and organic sulphur). In addition to the identifications of coal constituents as maceral and mineral matter, the constituents are also characterized and quantified as group macerals or maceral associations called ‘microlithotype’ and also as maceral-mineral associations called ‘corbominerite’. There are certain rules set by the I.C.C.P. (1971 &75) for this kind of characterization. Accordingly microlithotypes are identified on the basis of two conventions- the minimum band with 50 x 50 microns and the so -called 5% rule. The microlithotype may be monomaceral, bimaceral or trimaceral depending upon whether the macerals of one group, two groups or all the three groups are involved in the creation of a 50 micron band respectively. The science of coal petrology (coal petrography), deals the study of megascopic and the microscopic constituents of coal in qualitative and quantitative terms. Coal petrology is applied to the studies of the depositional environments of coals, correlation of coals for geological studies, and the investigation of coals for their industrial utilization. However, for any modern coal industry, the coal petrography has become the prime tool to characterize coals and decide about their utilization. Presently, it is more an applied science, which has become indispensable in solving the chemico-technological issues in context of use and quality control of coals in coking plants, briquetting plants and power stations. It is also playing very important role in evaluating a coals for beneficiation (coal preparation for downstream utilization). Recently, significance of coal petrology has been demonstrated in coalbed methane exploration and in potential CO2 sequestration into the coal seams. Besides, it plays an important role in all the oil exploration programs, especially for the optical characterization of the source rock and also for detecting their thermal maturation. Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow 5
Training Programme on “PALYNOLOGY IN FOSSIL FUEL EXPLORATION” [ September 10-17, 2012 ] PROF. ATUL KUMAR VARMA Coal Geology and Organic Petrology Lab. , Department of Applied Geology, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad- 826004 E-mail: atulvarma@hotmail.com • Professor in Department of Applied Geology, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad • Teaching and Research Experience: More than 30 years • Awarded Ph.D. Degree from Silesian Technical University, Gliwice (Poland) in Applied Geology (Coal Geology, Organic Petrology and Coal Conversion) under Polish Government Scholarship through Government of India. • Awarded National Mineral Award in Coal and Lignite Exploration by Government of India. • Awarded Commonwealth Fellowship to carry out research works in U.K • Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Geological Society of India • Authored 84 papers including 10 papers in International Journals of repute (like Fuel, International Journal of Coal Geology, Journal of Thermal Analysis etc.) • Three Books Edited • Member of several International Professional Bodies like TSOP (The Society for Organic Petrology), ICCP (International Committee for Coal and Organic petrology), Member of SAAEG (South Asian Association of Economic Geologists). • Countries travelled: USA, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Poland, Czech, Slovenia, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Thailand, Japan and Canada . • Carrying out active research works in Coal Geology, Organic petrology, Coal Conversion, Coal Bed Methane, Shale gas, CO2 sequestration and source rock evaluation • Participating in European Commission funded project on CO2 sequestration • Member, International Working Group on “Microscopy of Carbon Materials". Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow 6
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SOUVENIR COMMITTEE - Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany

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