Press Release: On January 5th, TharPak, LLC met with officials of the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington DC to introduce and announce the formation of the TharPak Consortium (TharPak), which was created by a group of leading multi-national firms, joining forces to develop a Mega Energy Complex (MEC) in the Thar dessert of southeastern Pakistan (Sindh Province) based on the abundant lignite deposits located there.   As a result of exploratory drilling over an area of approximately 9000 sq. km, a total of 175 billion tonnes of coal resource potential has been assessed by the Pakistan Geological Survey (PGS).  The consortium plans to tap into a portion of that vast resource and put it to use for the benefit of Pakistan.

The Consortium has set its sights on lignite mining operations with an eventual aggregated production capacity of as much as 100 million tons per year to feed an 80,000 barrels per day Direct Coal to Liquids plant (DCL), 6,000 MW of power generation capacity, and urea production.  These industrial processes will be supported by a Carbon Capture & Storage program (CCS), and a liquefied carbon dioxide production and transportation system for sale to Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) projects.

“Pakistan is suffering from an alarming energy deficit and on a per capita basis; it ranks among the bottom of nations in terms of installed capacity.  And yet, the people of Pakistan have shown a remarkable resilience and continued to keep their economy afloat despite the severe handicap of unreliable power and expensive imported transportation fuels costing the nation over US$12 billion a year”, stated Steve Carpenter, Director Business Development of the Consortium.  “With this energy deficit in mind, we believe that with the combination of our deep mining and engineering expertise and the use of commercially proven clean coal combustion technologies, TharPak will deliver a solution to what is holding Pakistan back from competing on a level playing field in the global economy; dependable, abundant and affordable energy.  Matching that effort with facilities that will use lignite for the production of liquid fuels, urea and pipeline quality carbon dioxide promises to be a winning combination for Pakistan,” said Mr. Carpenter.

Members of TharPak recognize the myriad challenges that have held back development of the coal resources at Thar.  Collectively, the team brings proven technologies and world-class advanced mining expertise to this endeavor.  The aim of the consortium is to not only ensure that this meaningful resource gets put to use as rapidly as possible, but to do so in an environmentally responsible manner.

Mr. Hans Naumann, Chief Engineer of the Consortium points out that "when fully built out, the cumulative capital investment for the lignite mining operations alone will likely exceed US$10 billion.  We are acutely aware that mining operations of this magnitude and the industrial processes attendant to them can cause social and environmental impacts if not carefully preplanned and vigorously monitored/adapted in the course of the project life cycle.

TharPak has secured the assistance of two internationally recognized research universities that will assist in the training and educational needs of the Pakistani workforce.  The Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research at VT (VCCER/VT) and West Virginia University’s National Research Center for Coal & Energy (NRCCE) will collaborate with TharPak on educational, technical, and research aspects of MEC.

About TharPak, LLC 
TharPak, LLC has been specifically formed to organize and lead a consortium of multi-national companies that have been leaders in the push for Clean Coal technologies.  TharPak has secured the only commercially proven Direct Coal to Liquids technology in the world for its project in Pakistan.

About Evan Energy
Headed by Mr. Morgan Massey, retired Chairman of Massey Energy, which was among the largest coal mining companies in the world till its recent merger with Alpha Natural Resources,  Evan Energy is a leading international energy investment and consulting firm focused on coal and related industry.

About Marshall Miller & Associates, Inc. (MM&A)
Headquartered in Bluefield, VA, MM&A is a diverse consulting and engineering firm offering a wide spectrum of services to clients in North America, South America, Asia, and Europe.  MM&A’s coal mine engineering expertise has been relied on around the world.  Learn more at www.mma1.com.

About Advanced Resources International (ARI)
Headquartered in Washington DC, ARI is internationally recognized for its research and consulting services related to unconventional gas, enhanced oil recovery, environmental, engineering, and carbon sequestration.  Learn more at www.adv-res.com.

About VCCER-VT
Located on the campus of Virginia Tech, The Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research, (VCCER) conducts research in the areas of energy and coal development, environmental impacts of coal and energy, and sustainable development of energy and mineral resources.  Learn more at www.energy.vt.edu/index.html.

About WVU-NRCCE
Located on the campus of West Virginia University, The National Research Center for Coal & Energy (NRCCE) is a research center and information clearinghouse dedicated to securing our nation's energy needs, protecting our environment, and promoting our economic development.  Learn more at www.nrcce.wvu.edu.