ONGC to close two Mumbai offshore facilities, develop new sites

Mumbai: State-run explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) will
shut down two of its facilities at the Bassein gas field, off Mumbai, in January-February 2008 that will cut output by a third.

ONGC will shut down the BPB process complex at the Bassein offshore field by January 25, and the BPA complex by 28 February to hook up production at the South Bassein field and the Vasai East field.

ONGS is undertaking major development projects and putting in place two new offshore platforms - BCPA-2 and BCPB-2 - near the existing process complexes of BPA and BPB at the South Bassein field.

This shift will result in a reduction in natural gas availability from 42 million standard cubic meters per day to 29-31 mmscmd, an ONGC official said.

While the BPB facility will remain shut for 24 days, reducing gas output by 13.5 million standard cubic metres per day, the 15-day shutdown of BPA facility would cut output by 11 million standard cubic metres per day.

ONGC has invested Rs2,937 crore in additional development of the South Bassein field and another Rs1,688 crore in the Vasai East field.

"These two new platforms will be bridge connected to existing BPA and BPB process complexes and during hook-up, integration and pre-commissioning, the BPA and BPB production facility will require shutdown," the official said.