The Coal Reserves Database program

Abstract

Abstract The Energy Information Administration (EIA) initiated the Coal Reserves Data Base (CRDB) Program in October, 1990 in order to update and improve the inherent applicability of EIA's national coal reserves database. Currently, EIA's database is derived from the demonstrated reserve base (DRB) of coal, a compilation of data from published sources, unified by adherence to standardized physical criteria of minability, but never intended for the detailed coal supply and policy analyses demanded today. The CRDB Program is designed to engage the expertise available at State geological surveys in compiling best current State-level estimates of both quantities and quality of available coal reserves through cooperative agreements with EIA. The CRDB emphasizes integration of more data on coal quality, use of data from unpublished sources, cooperation with industry and other government sources, and flexibility of criteria to take into account local accessibility and mining conditions and utilize computerized geographic information systems or coal resource software. The results of pilot projects in Ohio and Wyoming are summarized. Areas nominated for support in the program include 15 additional priority coal regions in 14 States, which comprise 95 percent of the current reserve estimates and most of the coal-bearing areas of low sulfur potential.