3RD PARTY SAMPLING, TESTING AND ANALYSIS OF COAL
Challenge
Coal Quality had been a matter of dispute since the inception of Coal India due to discrepancies between the coal quality assured by the producer and the coal quality received by customers. To solve this problem, the Ministry of Coal approached QCI for third party sampling, testing, and analysis of coal to ensure the quality based pricing of coal despatches.
Approach
Quality Council of India (QCI) has undertaken 3rd Party Sampling, Testing and Analysis of coal supplied through special forward e-auction for power consumer/s and linkage auction for non-power consumer/s. Further, the scope of work has been extended to spot e auction/ special spot e auction/ Shakti Scheme.
We have come a long way since August 2017 when the operations began at Chirimiri in Chattisgarh. Today we are active in all 8 subsidiaries covering 170+ locations with 100+ on ground staff. We are now sampling around 20% of the coal sold to some 178 coal customers. On-ground operations are managed by a central team of 20 people which looks after planning, project development, finance, etc. However, it hasn’t been a smooth journey and we faced many problems ranging from lack of infrastructure at mining location, massive manpower recruitment to local political pressure and Naxalite blockage.
This project is unique in the sense that it brings many stakeholders of QCI on one table. The entire procedure involves PPID monitoring the project, NABCB accredited Inspection Bodies sampling the coal and NABL accredited laboratories testing the same. It has now become the biggest project of PPID both in terms of scale and revenue. Given the strict time-frame and efficiency parameters involved and adhered to, the project offers us a blueprint for incorporating best practices across the board.
Outcome
Scrutinised the quality of coal dispatched to customers and curbed disputes arising amongst the stakeholders. Coal grade assessment also plays an important criterion for revisiting mine grades.
Tripartite agreements of volume of 121 million metric tonne have been signed for conducting the third-party sampling, testing and analysis.
A total volume of 110.65 MMT of coal is already being sampled from date of commencement. QCI has already sampled 65.95 Million Metric Tonnes in F/Y 2018-19.
In order to ensure double blinding of Coal Sample, QCI has developed QR Code based application to capture collection, preparation across all loading points of Coal India Limited (CIL). The same has been already implemented across all subsidiaries.
Also, QCI has extended its coal sampling assessment and carried out a one time-“Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Coal” for “Sembcorp Energy India Limited (SEIL)”.
Last modified: May 22, 2023
