OIL to hunt for oil & gas under Brahmaputra bed

Permission being sought from Director General of Hydrocarbons to conduct seismic survey, says OIL CMD Utpal Bora

OUR STAFF REPORTER

Guwahati, Feb 28: Oil India Ltd (OIL) is once again gearing up to explore oil and tural gas reserves under the Brahmaputra, one of the most turbulent rivers in the world.

OIL, the Upper Assam based exploration giant, recently wrote to the Director General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) seeking permission to carry out seismic survey in Brahmaputra riverbed to search for oil and gas.

Utpal Bora, Chairman-cum-Maging Director of OIL, told The Sentinel on Tuesday that back in 2005 the company had taken up a project to explore oil and gas under the mighty river, but had to put that plan on hold following protests from several organizations.

In 2005, several organizations as well as militant outfit ULFA had opposed and tried to mobilize public resistance against the OIL’s bid to carry out seismic surveys in Brahmaputra riverbed.

Bora, speaking to this correspondent on the sidelines of a function of the OIL here this afternoon, said that many of those who once protested against such exploration in the Brahmaputra, are now favoring the same.

“OIL has once again decided to embark upon a tough journey to hunt for oil and gas in the middle of the Brahmaputra. We have written to the DGH in this regard seeking permission to carry out seismic survey. We are hopeful of a positive response and begin survey work at the earliest,” he said.

Expressing grave concern over fall in production of crude oil in the last few years, Bora said the OIL has initiated all-out efforts to arrest the slide and to raise production. He said crude production by the OIL came down from 3.8 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 2010-11 to 3.2 MMT in the last fincial year, which is a major area of concern. “Decline in crude oil production is a challenge for us and we are ready to face it boldly,” he said. OIL wants to increase production to meet the target of 3.48 MMT in the current fincial year.

According to Bora, most of the oilfields in operation in Assam are ageing and there is need to go for ‘secondary process’. He said a team of young technical experts has been formed to work with experts from University of Houston to bring in new technology for quick oil gain in the existing fields.

Bora said one of the two old fields in Rajasthan is likely to start production within the next six months.  He said that the OIL has also acquired shares in two producing oilfields in Russia and the company in collaboration with the ONGC has gone into offshore.

The OIL CMD on Tuesday laid the foundation stone of a permanent campus of the Centre of Excellence for Energy Studies at the OIL’s pipeline headquarters at rengi here. It is expected to grow as a technological excellence centre for OIL and help the company with modern and latest technological expertise to explore oil and gas reserves as well as raise productivity of existing oilfields.

Bora, while highlighting a few of the recent CSR activities of the company, said OIL has sanctioned Rs 50 crore for beautification of historic Kamakhya temple and will set up a skill development institute and a training school for drivers in North Guwahati. OIL will soon pay a royalty of Rs 5,000 crore to Assam government and Rs 50 to Aruchal Pradesh government, he added.

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