Page 155 - CW E-Magazine (22-4-2025)

Hydrocarbons

POLICY-ENABLED GROWTH

BP banking on Mahanadi basin block to raise

gas output

UK’s energy giant BP, which produces block KG-DWN-98/3 (KG-D6) in the Bay investment destination is a legislation that
one-third of India’s natural gas, is tar- of Bengal. The two are now looking to put amended the Oil Fields (Regulation and
geting nearly 10-million cubic metres per into production discoveries in the Block Development) Act of 1948 by expand-
day of additional output from the NEC- NEC-OSN-97/2 (NEC-25) off the Odisha ing its scope to include shale oil, shale
25 block in the Mahanadi basin, spurred coast. “Block NEC 25 represents an oppor- gas and coal bed methane, in addition to
by recent upstream reforms introduced by tunity to unlock the hydrocarbon potential oil and gas, while introducing sweeping
the Central Government. of a new hub on India’s East coast, with measures aimed at improving the ease of
production potential of up to 9.9-mmscmd doing business as well as providing fi scal
BP’s CEO Mr. Murray Auchincloss of gas,” Mr. Auchincloss said. and policy stability aimed to attract
said India’s upstream oil and gas policy domestic and international investment.
overhaul through a new legislation has BP-Reliance had in 2012-13 proposed
made several improvements important a $3.5-bn plan for developing 1.032-trillion The new legislation “made several
for foreign investors and will help attract cubic feet of in-place reserves discovered improvements that are important for
global players. During his recent visit to in NEC-25. But the plan was delayed foreign investors like us,” Mr. Auchincloss
India, he had met Prime Minister Narendra because of a dispute with upstream told news agency, PTI, in an interview.
Modi as well as Oil Minister Hardeep regulator the Directorate General of “We believe the reforms can help mitigate
Singh Puri. BP and its partner Reliance Hydrocarbons (DGH) over technical risks and ensure operational clarity, crea-
Industries Ltd. (RIL) produce about 28- aspects of the fi nds. They have renewed ting an investor-friendly environment,
million standard cubic metres per day or plans after the government unveiled a supporting the modernisation of India’s
almost a third of India’s total gas output, series of reforms in recent years. Among oil and gas sector, and attracting global
from their Krishna Godavari basin deepsea the factors making India an attractive players,” he said.

PROJECT PROGRESS
GAIL completes 97.6% of Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga

gas pipeline

State-run GAIL (India) has completed section has been laid and 3,119-km of out of the balance 162-km of the pipe-
the laying of more than 97.6 percent the section including the Phulpur- line section to Haldia, 103-km of laying
of the integrated Jagdishpur-Haldia- Dobhi-Bokaro-Durgapur, Bokaro-Angul- work has been completed. GAIL is also
Bokaro-Dhamra Pipeline (JHBDPL), Dhamra, Dobhi-Barauni-Guwahati pipe- laying Dhamra-Haldia section having an
popularly known as the Pradhan Mantri line sections have already been put under authorised pipeline length of 240-km of
Urja Ganga. commercial operations, it added. The which GAIL has already laid 198-km of
pipeline is presently transporting pipeline.
The critical pipeline will transport 12.26-million standard cubic metres
natural gas to the eastern and north- per day (mscmd) of natural gas includ- Due to limited availability of Right
eastern part of India. Of the completed part, ing supplies to four fertiliser plants, two of Use (RoU), the completion of Dur-
almost 96.6 percent has been put under refi neries (Barauni and Paradip), industrial gapur-Haldia section and Dhamra-Haldia
commercial operations, the country’s consumers and 32 City Gas Distribution section of JHBDPL expansion is being
largest gas utility said. The integrated (CGD) networks including Varanasi, Patna, extended from March 2025 to December
JHBDPL including Barauni-Guwahati Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Bhubaneshwar, 2025. With the completion of balance
Pipeline, has an authorised length of Cuttack, Kolkata etc. section of Durgapur-Haldia and Dhamra-
3,306-km and it passes through Uttar Haldia Pipeline, GAIL will transport
Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West With respect to the Durgapur-Haldia natural gas to Haldia refi nery, CGD Howrah,
Bengal and Assam. Section (294-km), GAIL has already Hooghly, Purba Medinipur, Paschim
put 132-km of the section up to Kolkata Medinipur and other industrial consumers
Currently, 3,227-km of pipeline under commercial operation. Besides, along the pipeline route.

Chemical Weekly April 22, 2025 155

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