Non-renewables

2026 Syllabus Objectives

By the end of this topic, you should be able to:

  1. Describe the quality and the amount of coal available from within Pakistan and how long reserves are likely to last, and also describe the types of coal which have to be imported for industrial purposes
  2. Describe how coal both produced in Pakistan and imported is transported to the end users
  3. State how much natural gas is produced by Pakistan, and how long reserves are likely to last
  4. Describe the extent of the natural gas pipeline network in Pakistan and explain how natural gas can be taken to those parts of Pakistan away from the pipelines, and the limitations of doing this
  5. State how much oil is produced by Pakistan, how long reserves will last and how much oil is imported, and explain why it is necessary to import large amounts of oil
  6. Describe the extent of the oil pipeline network in Pakistan and describe the other methods that are used to transport both imported oil and oil produced in Pakistan
  7. Understand that electricity can be generated in a variety of ways: in thermal power stations by burning coal, oil, gas and waste, or with nuclear energy; or with renewable sources e.g. water (including hydel), the wind and the sun
  8. Understand that non-renewable power sources are running out, and are increasing in price

1. Coal in Pakistan: Quality, Quantity, and Reserves

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What is Coal?

Coal is a black or brown rock that can be burned to produce heat and energy. It forms over millions of years when dead plants get buried underground and are compressed (squeezed) by layers of soil and rock above them. The longer and deeper the compression, the better the quality of coal.

Types of Coal (From Lowest to Highest Quality)

Coal quality improves in this order:

  • Peat – The first stage; basically decomposed plant matter. Very low quality.
  • Lignite – Brown coal found near the surface. Has high moisture (water content), high ash, and gives off little heat when burned.
  • Sub-Bituminous – Better than lignite but still fairly low quality.
  • Bituminous – Much better quality; dark in color, found deeper underground. This includes steam coal (used in power stations) and coking coal (used to make steel).
  • Anthracite – The best quality coal. Black, hard, found very deep underground. Has the highest carbon content and produces the most heat when burned.

Coal Quality in Pakistan

Pakistan's coal is mostly low quality. The country mainly has:

  • Lignite (brown coal)
  • Sub-bituminous coal

These types of coal have several problems:

  • Low carbon content – They don't produce much heat when burned
  • High moisture content – They contain a lot of water
  • High sulphur content – This causes pollution when burned
  • High ash content – Leaves a lot of waste after burning
  • Low heating value – They don't generate much energy

This makes Pakistan's coal unsuitable for heavy industries like steel-making, which need high-quality coal that burns at very high temperatures.

Major Coalfields in Pakistan

Pakistan has coal in four main regions:

1. Punjab – Salt Range Coalfield

  • Mining centers: Dandot, Pidh
  • Quality: Lignite to sub-bituminous

2. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) – Makarwal-Gullakhel

  • Quality: Lignite to sub-bituminous

3. Balochistan – Quetta Coalfields

  • Mining centers: Khost-Sharig-Harnai (largest in Pakistan with highest output), Sor Range-Degari (16 km east of Quetta), Mach (55 km north of Quetta)
  • Quality: Bituminous to sub-bituminous (better than other regions)

4. Sindh – Lower Sindh Coalfields

  • Mining centers: Lakhra (north of Hyderabad), Jhimpir-Meting (south of Hyderabad), Sonda-Thatta (south of Jhimpir)
  • Quality: Lignite
  • Special note: The Thar coalfield has enormous reserves but is difficult to mine

How Much Coal Does Pakistan Have?

Pakistan has coal reserves, but they are:

  • Mostly low quality (lignite), which limits their usefulness
  • Difficult to access in many areas due to deep underground location or technical challenges
  • Limited in the types of industries they can support (mainly brick kilns, not steel or heavy industry)

Current production is relatively small, and at the current rate of use, reserves will last for several more decades. However, the Thar coalfield in Sindh has huge reserves that could last much longer, but extracting this coal requires expensive technology and expertise.

Coal That Must Be Imported

Because Pakistan's coal is too low quality for certain industrial uses, the country must import high-quality coal:

Type imported:

  • Bituminous coal (especially coking coal)
  • Anthracite coal

Where it comes from:

  • India
  • Australia
  • Brazil

Why it's imported:

  • Steel industry needs high-quality coal: Pakistan Steel Mills and other steel plants need coking coal that can produce temperatures high enough to melt iron ore. Pakistan's lignite cannot do this.
  • Better energy output: Imported coal produces more heat per kilogram, making it more efficient for power generation and industrial heating.
  • Lower sulphur content: Causes less pollution than local coal.

Uses of Coal in Pakistan

Pakistan's locally produced coal is used mainly for:

  1. Brick kilns – 83% of all Pakistan's coal goes here (making bricks for construction)
  2. Power generation – Some thermal power stations burn coal
  3. Cement factories – For heating in the production process
  4. Cooking – In some rural areas
  5. Small industries – For heating purposes

The imported high-quality coal is used for:

  • Steel making at Pakistan Steel Mills
  • Heavy industrial processes that need very high temperatures

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