ONGC Tripura Asset expedites oil exploration in state

Tripura Asset of ONGC has expedited exploration of gas in the state which will be supplied to a proposed fertiliser industry at Khobal in North Tripura district and gas-based thermal power project in Gomati.

"So far, we have drilled 10 wells in Khobal field of which three are gas bearing and more nine fields would be drilled in the area by next year. After exploration is over, ONGC would be able to tell how much gas could be supplied for the proposed unit," Tripura Asset of ONGC Manager S C Soni said on Saturday.

At present, Tripura Asset has production capacity of 4.95 mmscmd per day which would rise to 6.25 mmscmd a day by the next year, he told reporters. He further said that the the 726 mw gas-based thermal power project at Palatana now produces 535-550 mw per day and ONGC had expedited its production for supplying more gas to the Palatana project so that it could enhance its production.

The North East Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) has set up 101 mw gas based thermal power project at Monarchak in Sipahijala district last year which remained closed due to non supply of gas by ONGC. "We would be able to supply gas to the Monarchak (in Gomati district) project by December," he said.

He said, at present 20,000 households are connected through city gas distribution for using gas as fuel in kitchen and 10,000 new households are planned to be connected by next year. Soni also said, as part of 'Hydrocarbon Vision 2030', a 230-km long LPG pipeline would be laid from Chittagong in Bangladesh to Agartala through Sabroom, the southernmost town of the state.

A large volume of gas is flared in the North-East due to unavailability of modes of evacuation of gas, he said adding as part of the vision 2030, a 600 km crude pipeline would also be laid on Agartala-Silchar-Shillong Guwahati Bongaigaon route.