Syngas Project in Southern Mongolia

Many poorer residents of the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar live in traditional housing know as gers. The minus 40 degree winters mean that heating is required and poorer residents burn poor quality coal in simple stoves with no emission controls and poor combustion.  As a consequence of this, the ger districts produce significant air pollution and Ulaanbaatar has some of the worst air quality in the world, significantly worse than Beijing and several times more than the World Health Organisation guideline. The effect of this poor quality on children and adult health has been recognised for many years.

EPS has been working with our Mongolian partners Greentrends LLC (http://greentrends.mn/) on an exciting project that has the potential to significantly improve the air quality in Ulaanbaatar. The World Bank funded project involves the conversion of coal into synthesis gas (syngas), from which synthetic natural gas (SNG) in produced. It is intended to pipe the SNG to the city and provide a district or household reticulation system. Each ger will have access to a gas stove to provide for cooking and heating, thus reducing particulate emissions from each ger to nil. The gas may also be supplied to apartment buildings to replace coal-fired boilers.

EPS’s role is to provide international standard environmental assessment expertise and to lead the assessment team. In May, EPS staff travelled to the four alternative coal mine sites and pipeline routes in Mongolia.  Following selection of the preferred mine and pipeline route, EPS will assist Greentrends with scoping and undertaking a detailed Environmental Social and Health Impact Assessment in line with Mongolian national and World Bank guidelines.

For additional information, please contact Mike Shelly on mikeshelly@enviroproperty.com.au or on 0417 459 195.