Salah satu cara memanfaatkan batubara bawah permukaan adalah dengan cara mengonversinya ke dalam bentuk gas yang lebih ramah lingkungan melalui metode underground coal gasification (UCG). Cekungan Sumatra Selatan adalah salah satu cekungan batubara produkfif di Indonesia. Kegiatan evaluasi ini bertujuan untuk untuk mengetahui lokasi potensi batubara yang cocok untuk pengembangan UCG. Evaluasi potensi batubara Indonesia untuk pengembangan UCG di cekungan ini, dilakukan dengan cara mengarakterisasi lapisan batubaranya. Batubara cekungan Sumatra Selatan di Daerah Bayung Lencir, Muara Kilis, dan Srijaya Makmur dievaluasi karakteristiknya untuk melihat potensi UCG pada batubara tersebut. Parameter karakteristik yang dievaluasi meliputi peringkat, ketebalan, kemiringan dan kedalaman lapisan batubara, rasio kedalaman dan ketebalan lapisan batubara, batuan pengapit berikut ketebalannya, kondisi hidrogeologis (posisi batubara terhadap akuifer), struktur geologi serta sumber daya batubara. Hasil evaluasi menunjukkan, berdasarkan karakteristik batubaranya, daerah Bayung lencir merupakan daerah yang cocok untuk pengembangan UCG.

Indonesia has a great potential for deep-seated coal resources. To assist and support the deep-seated coal exploration, a shallow seismic reflection method is applicable for this purpose. This study has conducted a shallow seismic reflection method in Musi Banyuasin Regency, South Sumatera Province. The Muara Enim coal target varies from 100 to 500 meters from the surface. The thickness of the coal layer varies from 2 to 10.65 meters. This study uses 48 channels with 14 Hz single geophone and MiniSosie as the energy source. The receiver and source interval is 15 meters. This study uses a fixed receiver and moving source configuration. From the interpreted seismic section, this study identified a deep-seated coal layer target. These layers are Mangus, Burung, Benuang, Kebon and Benakat layers. A simple interpretation is analyzed by combining the seismic amplitude characteristics and the thickness of the coal layer from the borehole data. From the interpreted seismic section, deep-seated coal layer targets have strong amplitude characteristics and are continuous from southwest to the northeast with a down-dip of around 20-30°. This study helps to inform the operator companies who develop the utilization of deep-seated coal (coalbed methane, underground coal gasification and underground coal mining) about the effective and proper geophysical method for imaging deep-seated coal layer.

Indonesia has one of the largest tropical peatland areas in the world. In Sumatra Island, peatland is spread over 11 areas and it was mainly found in Riau (60.1%) and South Sumatra (19.6 %) Provinces. This study investigates the subsurface of tropical peatland in Ogan Komering Ilir Regency, South Sumatra Province. Data was recorded using Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) method based on the sub-surface images of tropical peatland. This study was conducted based on dipole-dipole configuration with 72 channels spread. This paper also studies the physical properties (thickness and electrical resistivity) of peatland and its substrate using ERT. In this study the ERT section and the geological map identified Alluvium (Qs), Kasai Formation, and the Basement. Result shows the ERT is applicable for imaging the thickness of tropical peatland and other geological features (Aquifer, geological structures, and stratigraphy). The electrical resistivity of peat varies from 20 ohm meter to 120 ohm meter and the thickness of peat varies from 2–5 meter. In some ERT sections, the basement was identified from 130 meter to 170 meter beneath the surface. The aquifer sweet spots were located from ERT Sections combined with the hydrogeological map. The aquifer was identified in Kasai Formation. The thickness of the aquifer layer is 2–20 meter. These physical properties may support the peatland conservation (forest fire mitigation) and geotechnical analysis purposes.

Potensi batubara Indonesia, baik yang dapat ditambang secara terbuka maupun yang ada di bawah permukaan (kedalaman >100m), sebagian besar merupakan batubara peringkat rendah. Salah satu pemanfaatan batubara peringkat rendah adalah gasifikasi bawah permukaan. Data dan evaluasi awal tentang potensi batubara untuk kegiatan gasifikasi ini sangat diperlukan. Evaluasi potensi batubara untuk gasifikasi ini pada Lubang Bor JWT-02 telah dilakukan dengan parameter evaluasi antara lain, kedudukan/kedalaman batubara, ketebalan batubara, karakteristik batubara, batuan pengapitnya dan sumber daya batubara. Hasil evaluasi tersebut menunjukkan adanya potensi lapisan batubara yang dapat dikembangkan untuk gasifikasi bawah permukaan.