ONGC to invest Rs10,600 crore to rev up western offshore output

The board of state-run energy explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has approved an investment of Rs10,600 crore in raising production from its western offshore fields.

ONGC will invest Rs6,069 crore for redevelopment of its prime Mumbai High South oil and gas field and Rs4,620 crore for integrated development of the Mukta, Bassein and Panna formations in the third phase of development.

''The implementation of the project will lead to incremental gain of 7.547 million tonne (MMT) crude oil and 3.864 billion cubic meter (BCM) of gas by 2030. This project is designed to carry forward the success of the previous two phases of redevelopment project and give a new lease of life to the giant field,'' ONGC stated in a release.

The project involves drilling 36 new wells and 34 sidetrack wells, and facilities including installation of three  well platforms, two clamp-on facilities for wells on existing platforms, associated pipelines and modifications at 18 platforms.

These are scheduled to be completed by April 2017. Drilling of wells and the overall project completion is scheduled for March 2019.

The project aims to further develop the L-II, S1 and Basal Clastic reservoirs along with the major L-III reservoir and integrating the required inputs.

The integrated development of Mukta, Bassein and Panna formations, located at a water depth of 50-70m and about 80-90 km from Mumbai coast is a follow-up of the previous two phases of redevelopment through installation of booster compressors in year 1999 to boost delivery pressure from 55 to 105 Kg/cm2 and in 2007 to boost pressure from 25 to 60 kg/cm2.

In order to further enhance the field life and increase recovery, this project envisages increasing gas pressure from 10 to 27 Kg/cm2. The incremental production is expected to start in 2014-15 with peak incremental production rate of 10 MMSCMD of gas, 950 barrels of oil and about 1,100 cubic meters of condensate per day by 2017-18.

The cumulative production till 2027-28 is pegged at 19.56 BCM of gas, 1.97 million cubic meter of condensate and 1.83 MMT of oil.

The gas and condensate will be evacuated to Hazira Plant.

The project envisages drilling of 18 wells, including 5 subsea wells, installation of one new process platform having gas processing and compression facilities, one nine-slot well head platform, topside modification on existing platforms, associated pipelines and one living quarter platform.

The project is scheduled for completion by April 2017, it added.