Shedden Pacific Pty. Limited, with the assistance of Professor I. McStewart and Golder Associates Pty. Ltd., was commissioned to undertake a technical and economic pre-feasibility study of Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) at Leigh Creek for the South Australian Department of Mines and Energy (DME) and the Electricity Trust of South Australia (ETSA). This study was funded by a grant from the National Energy Research, Development and Demonstration Council (NERDDC) as part of its program to promote more effective use of existing energy resources, particularly coal.