Japanese companies eye low-calorie coal production in East Kalimantan

Executives of several Japanese companies including Koba-based Coal Liquefaction Center, Sumitomo Co Ltd and Nissho Iwai are exploring the possibility of developing low-calorie coal in Berau regency, East Kalimantan into other energy alternative, Kaltim Post reported on Tuesday.

The Japanese executives accompanied by the government?s senior experts met the Berau regent Masdjuni and his staff on Monday to discuss the plan. The representatives of the Japanese companies would survey the low calorie coal in several areas in the regency during their two-day visit.

During the meeting, the regent expressed its support for the Japanese companies? plan to develop the low-calorie coal in the regency and promised to provide assistance for the realization of the project. The regent also said that low-calorie coal deposits in the regency cover about 7,000 hectares.

Sources said that the Japanese companies planned to develop the low calorie coal in the area into a kind of fuel oil. One ton of low calorie coal could produce 1.6 barrel of oil.(*)