The Hindu Business Line : Cairn starts further drilling in Cambay block

New Delhi, Oct. 9 Cairn India has started the infill development drilling programme in its producing Cambay Basin offshore block. This drilling programme in the block CB/OS-2 is to ensure that the company is able to maintain the existing production levels from this area.

According to company sources, “Cairn plans to drill four well under the programme. The drilling activity was commenced a few days back using the Scorpion Hercules rig. The company is looking at an investment of $115 million in its pre-NELP block.”

Cairn India’s oil and gas fields at Ravva and CB/OS-2 continue to be the cornerstone of its existing production. The ongoing drilling programme at Ravva and CB/OS-2 will ensure that these assets continue to push Cairn’s exploratory activities, he said. In block CB/OS-2, Cairn holds 40 per cent stake and is the operator. The remaining is with ONGC and Tata Petrodyne.

The average gross production from the Lakshmi and Gauri fields in the block for first half of 2007 was 15,238 barrels of oil equivalent per day (bopd) comprising average oil and condensate production of 3,910 bopd and average gas production of 68 mmscfd.

oil handling facility

The company is also upgrading the oil handling facility which is scheduled for completion by this year-end or early next year.

As regards its other blocks in the Cambay basin, the company has completed the onshore CB-X tie-in project and delivered first gas during the second quarter of 2007. In block CB-ONN-2001/1, where Cairn India has 30 per cent stake remaining with ONGC (operator), the official said a final commitment well on this block was drilled and abandoned in April. In another block CB-ONN-2002/1, three well are scheduled to be drilled during the second half of 2007 or early 2008.

Production profile

The company is expected a change in its production profile from 2009, when the first of the Rajasthan developments is scheduled to come on-stream.

The Mangala field will be brought on production first followed by the Bhagyam and Aishwariya fields and the targeted gross plateau production from these three fields is 150,000 bopd.