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‘Pak extracting gas from Indian fields
Minister of State Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan in reply to a question by Barmer MP Col Sona Ram Choudhary Monday agreed that Pakistan is producing gas from the fields located near border areas.
“The exploration work was suspended since last 25 years. Now, our government has encouraged exploration activities. This will lead to hydrocarbon production not only from Jaisalmer and Barmer but also from Kuchchh region of Gujarat,” the minister claimed.
Col Sona Ram, while putting his question in Parliament, said Pakistan is producing gas on a large scale and its gas fields are quite close to Indo-Pak border adjoining Jaisalmer. “Jaisalmer got the first gas exploration work 40-50 years ago. Gas fields were discovered and supply was started to nearby gas based power plants. Currently, a number of gas wells, situated at border are not functioning. Meanwhile, many Chinese companies are exploring for hydrocarbon on the other side of the border. As we are not exploring and producing gas, our gas is migrating to Pakistan side,” he added.
The MP asked the minister which are the steps government is considering so that the other side can’t extract gas from Indian reserves. The minister indicated that his ministry may very soon clear pending approvals for Thar oil fields. “Crude oil production is at Barmer. Recently, gas reserves have been discovered and gas production is taking place on pilot basis. There are certain approvals pending for these fields. Government will accord permission within few days clearing path for gas production,” said Pradhan.
It may be mentioned that OMV Pakistan company started exploration activities in Sindh in 1991 and is producing gas from the Sawan, Miano, Latif, Tajjal, and Mehar gas fields. Mari and Miano gas fields are situated closest to Indo-Pak border. Bhit, Kadanwari, Kandkot, Qudirpur and Sui are other fields at Pakistan side of border producing gas.
Meanwhile, at Indian side of border, Cairn India-operated Barmer basin is part of the initial Pre-New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) blocks that are due for renewal. The Production Sharing Contract extension request is pending with MoPNG. Once approved, it will provide clarity to the company board to approve a capex plan for further exploration and development.
ONGC-Cairn Joint Venture is currently working to monetize natural gas potential in Rajasthan block. It had put forward a $700-million plan to develop and produce gas reserves at Raageshwari fields in Barmer block. “Raaseshwari in-place resource estimate stands at 1-3 trillion cubic feet (TCF), with recovery factor estimated at about 50%,” said a report from brokerage firm Motilal Oswal. The Barmer block is the biggest onshore crude oil field contributing nearly 27% of country’s production.
Similarly, focus energy is doing oil exploring gas in Shahgarh Bulj area of Jaisalmer, in which many dozens of well is stopped.
In Ghotki dist of pak, 7-8kms from the Indian border opposite the international border adjoining tanot-longewala area in Jaisalmer, huge reserves of oil have been found. Pak oil company with the help of Chinese company have started producing oil in huge quantity. In this area 2500 pakistani and Chinese experts are working in the work of oil exploration and oil production. In this regard, senior official sources confirmed it and said in pak area opposite tanot-longewala area, pak oil company with the help of Chinese oil company have found huge oil reserves in area of 8-10kms. In pak’s ghotki dist, for last one month, oil production is going on and aviation lights on rings used in exploration works can be seen from long distance and movement of vehicles can be heard. More than 250 experts and other personnel are working here. Sources said that pak in this area had started oil exploration in 2005-06, but in January 2017 started new oil and gas works and discovered huge oil and gas reserves and production was started on large scale. It is told that pak oil companies have found huge reserves against their expectation. Looking to this, oil and gas exploration works have been started in nearby areas tool. On the other hand, in Indian area of ghotaru, longewala the ONGC are doing the exploration works, but till now there has not been any big success and ongc is producing only 50000 cubic metre gas in this area. Taylor Decker Womens Jersey
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