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V. Rishi Kumar

Also in pursuit of new discoveries in marginal fields

Hyderabad March 17 Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd is laying special thrust on the Balol and Vasai oil fields with new exploration techniques and analysis, while revisiting some marginal fields and regions where old wells exist.

The Corporation is deploying 4D (four dimensional) techniques, being used as a pilot initiative in these oil wells though it would entail higher costs compared to 3D modelling techniques.

The results of using the four-dimensional method in some of the fields across the world shows that they are a lot more precision-driven, leading to better assessment of the potential.

ONGC plans to replicate this methodology in other oil fields.

The Executive Director, Asset Manager, Mumbai High, Mr Apurba Saha, told Business Line that ONGC was in the process of significantly stepping-up exploratory work in not just new oil fields such as in the KG basin and Mahanadi oil fields but also looking at the possibility of tapping into new areas in some of the existing oil fields in Assam and the Cambay region.

"The recovery factor in Balol in Cambay on shore is about 10 to 12 per cent as the oil there is heavy. This means we need to use new combustion techniques to make it less viscous to help it flow to evacuate the oil. This project is now being taken up in partnership with Norwegian company Seabed Seismic," he explained.

Development plans

With regard to the Vasai fields, ONGC is in the process of finalising development plans and taking up the Western offshore project in 2008-2009. Referring to projects in Bombay High, Mr Saha said that the output there has come down from a high of 4-lakh barrels per day to 2-lakh and the accident last year had lead to further fall. But this has now gone up to 2.65 barrels per day. With a re-routed approach, this would be scaled-up to 3-lakh barrels a day by 2008-2009. Alongside, a new processing complex would be developed with an outlay of Rs 2,800 crore by 2010. Speaking about new wells, Mr Saha said some of the new discoveries would be tapped in the marginal fields and in the S Series and B Series wells. While the Board has approved some of these projects, few others would come up later. Most of these would be taken up by 2009 along with four fields of the B Series, he said.

Mr Saha said that they expect to work closely with the Hyderabad-based National Geophysical Research Institute and support with investments their effort towards 4D reservoir modelling for enhanced oil recovery.

Mr Saha was in Hyderabad to take part in an Indo-Norwegian workshop on new mining techniques.

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ONGC deploys new exploration tech in Balol, Vasai oil wells

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