Companies in Northeast region are giving renewed thrust on enhanced oil recovery schemes: ONGC

GUWAHATI: ONGC’s Executive Director Tarun Malik said that companies in the Northeast region are giving renewed thrust on enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) schemes after Government of India announced renewed policy framework by the for incentivising production through improved recovery schemes in domestic fields.

Malik, while speaking at a virtual platform on “Consultation on Hydrocarbon and Industries in North East of CII said, “However, there is significant scope to increase production through EOR technologies in the mature fields which is specifically pertinent for the North East. At present, hydrocarbon industry in the North- East region, is at an interesting juncture with an alluring potential of unconventional reserves and need for greater technological innovation and upgradation.”

He added that,” Specifically, for the North East, the ‘Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for North East India’ document lays the roadmap till 2030 to increase the production of oil and gas in northeast India and outline the necessary investment in the hydrocarbon sector. It also envisages to increase exploration activities, expand the piped natural gas (PNG) network and ensure availability of petroleum products, including LPG, in the remotest corners of the region. One important development is the National Gas grid connectivity into the region.

As part of the government’s plans to connect all northeaster states with gas pipelines, there is to be a 721 kilometres pipeline running from Barauni in Bihar to Guwahati by 2021. This Haldia – Paradip – Barauni pipeline will connect Guwahati. Much progress has been made in the North East sector and the newly formed company – Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited has taken the onus on implementing the vision of Gas Grid connectivity to the North East.

Tripura’s Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma said that the total demand for petroleum products in the northeast region is around 3.2 million metric tons per annum and with the proposed expansion, the region will have more capacity than demand.

“The Northeast region’s present production of crude oil is 12,444 tons per day and the average rate of gas production is around 11.32 million metric standard cubic meter per day. The new pipeline network, part of which would go through Bangladesh under a transit agreement, is expected to connect the entire northeast region with the rest of the country. The Centre plans to categorise high risk areas, considering the tough conditions and connectivity issues, into a separate category called challenging blocks”.

He added that beyond production, the focus areas include exploring hydrocarbon linkages and trade opportunities with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan, implementation of ‘Make in India’ in the region.

He said that with the policy northeast India would be a gateway of Southeast Asia in future. Currently, India has a refining capacity of 215 million tonnes a year.