Moreton Resources Limited (former names: Pinnacle Mining, Pinnacle VRB and Cougar Energy
[
]) is an Australian coal mining company. In 2007–2013 it was specialized on underground coal gasification
Underground coal gasification (UCG) is an industrial process which converts coal into product gas. UCG is an ''in-situ'' gasification process, carried out in non-mined coal seams using injection of oxidants
An oxidizing agent (also known as ...
and electric power production by produced syngas
Syngas, or synthesis gas, is a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, in various ratios. The gas often contains some carbon dioxide and methane. It is principly used for producing ammonia or methanol. Syngas is combustible and can be used as ...
. In addition to Australia, the company planned underground coal gasification projects in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, and Mongolia
Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...
.[
]
History
The company was established in 1994 as Pinnacle Mining NL. On 5 June 1998 it changed its name to Pinnacle VRB Limited.[
] In 2006, the company acquired Cougar Energy Pty Ltd.[
] After merger, the company changed name to Cougar Energy Limited on 16 February 2007.[
Cougar Energy had a licence agreement with Ergo Exergy Technologies for utilization of the underground coal gasification technology developed by Ergo Exergy. The main underground coal gasification pilot project developed by Cougar Energy was located near ]Kingaroy, Queensland
Kingaroy is a rural town and suburbs and localities (Australia), locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. The town is situated on the Road Junction, junction of the D'Aguilar Highway, D'Aguilar and the Bunya Highway, Bunya H ...
. The first syngas at Kingaroy pilot plant was produced on 16 March 2010.[
] The company planned to use produced gas at the proposed 400 MW Kingaroy Power Plant.[
]
Other projects included the underground coal gasification plants at Wandoan, Queensland
Wandoan is a town and locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. It was formerly known as Juandah. It is on the Leichhardt Highway about halfway between Taroom and Miles and is the centre for the local cattle industry. In the ...
(the Surat Basin), and Latrobe Valley, Victoria, in Australia and at the Thar Coal Field in Pakistan. Cougar Energy has also signed memorandums of understanding with Essar Oil and Exploration for cooperation in India and with Inner Mongolia Qi De Investment Co. Ltd. for cooperation in China. Its first commercial underground coal gasification project in Indonesia with its strategic partner PT MedcoEnergi Mining involved the development of a 30 megawatt power plant using UCG gas as feedstock.
Operations
Company's conventional coal assets are situated in Bowen and Surat Basins in Queensland. It develops the Mackenzie and South Burnett
The South Burnett is a peanut growing and wine-producing area on the Great Dividing Range, north of the Darling Downs, in Queensland. It is with the basin of the Burnett River. The area is within two local government areas, South Burnett Region ...
coal projects.[
][
]
Its subsidiary MRV Metals plans to produce silver and copper at Granite Belt
The Granite Belt is an area of the Great Dividing Range in the Darling Downs region of Queensland and the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. The Granite Belt is centred on the town of Stanthorpe. The cool, high country of the gra ...
.[
]
Incidents
On 16 July 2010, the Kingaroy pilot plant was temporary shut down after traces of benzene
Benzene is an organic chemical compound with the molecular formula C6H6. The benzene molecule is composed of six carbon atoms joined in a planar ring with one hydrogen atom attached to each. Because it contains only carbon and hydrogen atoms, ...
and toluene
Toluene (), also known as toluol (), is a substituted aromatic hydrocarbon. It is a colorless, water-insoluble liquid with the smell associated with paint thinners. It is a mono-substituted benzene derivative, consisting of a methyl group (CH3) at ...
were detected in groundwater monitoring bores.[
][
] The level of hydrocarbons in the water was 95% lower than Australian drinking water guidelines.[
] Cougar Energy initiated two legal actions in Queensland seeking damages for the closing down of the Kingaroy plant as well as orders to permit the re-opening of operations at the plant.[
][
] By September 2013 the company was unable to afford the legal struggle and pleaded guilty to three counts of contravening conditions of an environmental authority and was fined A$75,000 plus A$40,000 costs.[
]
See also
* Carbon Energy
Carbon Energy Limited (former name: Metex Resources Limited) is an Australian global energy technology provider and services company with expertise in unconventional syngas extraction utilising its proprietary Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) ...
* Linc Energy
Linc Energy was an Australian energy company that specialised in coal-based synthetic fuel production, as well as conventional oil and gas production. It was engaged in development and commercialisation of proprietary underground coal gasificat ...
References
External links
* {{official website, http://www.cougarenergy.com.au/
Moreton Resources (Google Finance)
Moreton Resources Fact Sheet (Australian Stock Exchange website)
Coal companies of Australia
Companies formerly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange
Kingaroy