Twenty-five years from now, anyone keen on finding out how an Independent India realised its hydrocarbon dreams will only have to dig out a ‘time capsule' lowered for 25 years in the earth of this sleepy village under Kalol taluka of Gandhinagar district, where oil was first struck on April 18, 1961.

Commemorating the Golden Jubilee of its Ahmedabad Asset, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC), today lowered the ‘time capsule' that encapsulates the achievements of Kalol-01, the first oilfield in the Asset.

Mr S. Sundareshan, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and Mr A. K. Hazarika, Chairman and Managing Director, ONGC, were present on the occasion.

Kalol-01 was the largest onshore oilfield after Bombay High and Heera. It was spread over 300 sq km, producing an average 1,100 tonnes of crude oil daily, with revenues of Rs 1,000 crore a year. The Ahmedabad Asset has 35 oilfields. Interestingly, ONGC abandoned Kalol-01 in March, just a month before lowering the time capsule!

Besides Mr Sundareshan and Mr Hazarika, those who signed the time capsule included Mr S.V. Rao, Director-Exploration, Mr S.M. Singh, Director-Security, Mr U. N. Bose, Director-Technical and Field Survey, Mr K. S. Jamestin, OSD, Human Resources, and Mr Anil Johari, Executive Director and Asset Manager, Ahmedabad.

Oil was first struck in Independent India at Lunej in the Cambay Basin, off the Gulf of Cambay, also in Gujarat, in 1958. ONGC commemorated its first oil discovery at well number Lunej-01 on October 5, 2008.

Mr Hazarika said since 1961, this Asset has contributed over 46 million tonnes of crude oil and 16 BCM of gas. Since 1958, ONGC has discovered more than 1,480 Mtoe of hydrocarbon in Gujarat. Out of that in-place, ONGC has produced over 293 Mtoe from its 98 discovered fields. “We still have over 200 Mtoe in store, ensuring supplies for another 40 years at least.”

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