Pramod Thakur
Dr. Pramod Thakur is Manager of Coal Seam Degasification for CONSOL Energy. He has been with CONSOL for 35 years and developed many coal seam degasification techniques, such as in-mine horizontal drilling, vertical gob wells and massive hydraulic fracing of coal seams. He also participated in the development of a technique for drilling horizontal laterals from surface.
Commercial application of these techniques created the CNX Gas operation
producing 85 BCF/year.
Dr. Thakur’s work has made the coal mines much safer, cut down the cost of coal production and created an energy source that can be marketed for additional revenue.
His other areas of specialization are (a) respirable dust control,(b) mine fire control and (c) safe operation of diesel equipment in coal mines.
Dr. Thakur is the President of the Board for NA CBM Forum, a Commissioner in the State of West Virginia and a guest Professor at WVU in the P&NG Engineering Dept.
He holds an MA (Math), MS (Mining Engg) and Ph D (Mining Engg) degrees from the Penn State University. He has published about 50 technical papers in the areas of his expertise, written a book on Mine Ventilation problems and contributed chapters on methane control in many text books for mine ventilation. He holds six US patents in the areas of his specialization.
Dr Thakur lives in Morgantown, WV with his wife, Meera. They are blessed with two sons, Dr Gautam Thakur, an interventional Neuro-Radiologist and Dr Anand Thakur, an Anesthesiologist and specialist in Pain Management.
