Indian petcoke imports to surge over double in 2022

28 Apr 2022 CW Team

An official told the media that India's imports of petcoke might be over double this year as competitive prices are pushing cement makers to switch to fuel as an alternative to coal.

Petcoke is more expensive than coal but produces more energy when burnt. It is widely used by the cement industry, which is its largest consumer, as sulphur dioxide emissions are absorbed by limestone.

Global coal prices are at peak highs due to a supply crunch following the European Commission's decision to ban coal imports from Russia after it invaded Ukraine.

Domestic coal supplies to utilities to address a power crisis and increased internal use of domestic petcoke by refineries are contributing to higher imports.

The consumption surged 34% to 4.2 million tonnes (mt) during the March-end quarter, the fastest pace in nearly six years and the first quarterly growth in over two years.

According to Iman Resources, imported petcoke accounted for about half the total consumption during the quarter, with Saudi Arabia and the US accounting for the bulk of shipments.

Indian coal trader I-Energy said that the import of fuel-grade petcoke was slow in 2021 due to the high price and supply crunch. But fuel-grade petcoke is again becoming competitive with coal, and its users are switching from coal to petcoke.

Image Source

Also read: 73% rise in Petcoke import in India in December 2021

Infrastructure Energy

25 Jun 2026

Centre Prioritising Energy Security With Coal Gasification

Union minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy said the Centre is prioritising energy security through a strategic shift to coal gasification and has announced incentives totalling Rs 460 billion (bn) to support the effort. He said more than 35 companies will start coal gasification activities in India within two months and that the government is encouraging firms that bring technology to close the domestic technology gap. The minister described the initiative as aimed at reducing import dependence and developing indigenous capacity. India has the fifth-largest coal reserve in the world, and..

BHEL and Coal India Invest Rs 250 bn in Odisha Gasification

Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) and Coal India (CIL) are jointly investing Rs 250 billion in a coal gasification project in Odisha, with the Prime Minister laying the foundation stone in Jharsuguda. Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy described the initiative as a transformative shift in coal utilisation that will open industrial avenues for the state. The project moves coal beyond conventional power generation to industrial feedstocks. Coal gasification will convert coal into synthesis gas, a versatile feedstock for chemicals, fertilisers and synthetic fuels, and the technology is ex..

BCCL Hands Over Dugdha Coal Washery To JSW Steel

Bharat Coking Coal has handed over the Dugdha Coal Washery to JSW Steel, marking the first coal washery asset monetisation under the Ministry of Coal's asset monetisation programme. The handover took place in the presence of senior officials from Bharat Coking Coal Ltd, JSW Steel and JSW Energy. The washery has a capacity of two million tonnes per annum (mn t per annum), and its transfer is intended to introduce private sector practices into coal beneficiation operations. The monetisation is aimed at modernising coal sector assets, improving operational efficiency and enhancing resource utilis..