Multi-criteria assessment of the suitability of coal deposits in the Pelagonian basin for underground coal gasification

Underground coal gasification (UCG) represents a modern technology for the utilisation of coal resources that are difficult to access or economically unfeasible for conventional mining. This paper presents a multi-criteria assessment of the suitability of coal deposits in the Pelagonian Basin for the application of underground coal gasification. The selection of a coal deposits suitable for UCG depends on a number of parameters related to coal properties, seam characteristics, hydrogeological conditions, and surface infrastructure. The most important factors include coal rank, seam thickness and depth, the type of overburden and underlying strata, permeability and porosity of the coal and surrounding rocks, geological characteristics, such as structural and tectonic features, groundwater level and its chemical composition, as well as proximity to surface infrastructure. For an integrated evaluation, a multi-criteria model was applied, enabling the ranking of coal deposits according to their suitability for the gasification process. The result indicates variable suitability of the analysed deposits, with certain zones standing out as having higher potential for the successful application of this technology