USTDA’s Barbora Jemelkova told International Longwall News Friday that the new Ukraine CBM Orientation Visit (OV) dates originally set for late January have been re-set for April 29 through May 8. The associated business briefing event for the group from the Ukraine's Donbass coal region has been scheduled for May 4 in Morgantown, West Virginia.
“The delegates encountered a scheduling conflict and regretfully requested a postponement,” she said in December when the original dates were cancelled. “While not common, this does happen with OVs from time to time.”
She confirmed that the itinerary will remain the same for the 10-day April OV, consisting of meetings between the delegation and various US government agencies and US firms, site visits of CBM operations, and a business briefing for interested parties to meet with the delegation.
The group also plans to visit CBM sites in Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming during the gathering. “Many of these CBM services and technologies can be used to develop pre-mine drainage wells on coal mine property, thereby qualifying the captured gas as CMM,” Jemelkova said.
The purpose of this visit, Jemelkova explained, is to present products and services used in the US that those in the Donetsk region may consider for their own projects under development.
The US will also gain from the visit, she said: “[It] provides an excellent opportunity for US companies to hear directly from the Ukrainians about the resource conditions in the Donetsk region and the technical needs and priorities of the CBM industry there [and] will give US firms a distinctive advantage as they compete with European and Japanese companies for exports.”
Jemelkova noted earlier this year that the Ukraine tour is not the first for the agency department. Other such delegations have been funded in the past from India, Botswana and China, all with the potential for insight from both the US and the visiting country and with significant export revenue capabilities.
Companies interested in taking part in the business briefing on coal bed and coal mining methane during the delegation's visit may register with the agency.
