AGARTALA, May 11 (TIWN): The state-owned oil giant Oil & Natural Gas Company (ONGC) with its another enormous drive has been eyeing forward to intensify its gas exploration from the existing wells here in the state with its improved and most advanced technology to create a recoverable reserve of gas for at least 20 years, said the then ONGC Asset Manager V P Mahawar. “We have intensified our exploration drive in Tripura to create a huge recoverable reserve of gas to continue the supply to the existing power plants in Tripura along with others coming up soon,” Mahawar said. Adding to that Mahawar said that ONGC is going ahead with its target to enhance the gas production by the next financial year and create a giant reserve here. To develop the productivity, ONGC has brought most advanced hydro-fracturing technology, used for breaking the sand layer deep inside the surface of the earth to facilitate better flow of gas, he said. The ONGC which started exploration in the state since 1972 has drilled 176 wells of which 82 are gas bearing wells. The highest rate of success in exploration has convinced the authorities to make commitment to supply 36 lakh cubic meters of gas to 726-MW Palatana power project for 20 years and five lakh cubic metres to Monarchak power plant.However later Mahawar said that the ONGC management has agreed to drive for massive exploration across the latent areas of India to find out new source of oil and natural gas to meet the growing demands of hydro-carbon across the globe.It is worthy to mention here that to improve the gas-based investments in the State, Tripura state officials have stated that the ONGC and other Exploration Agencies need to step up the gas exploration work and should confirm the gas availability to potential investors on long-term basis.

Without this, the state officials have mentioned that it will not be possible to make any serious and meaningful efforts for setting up of gas-based industries in Tripura.

Besides, State Power Minister Manik Dey has recently written a letter to the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to visit the state and take stock of the gloomy situation of power crisis, because ONGC is unable to supply sufficient gas to the power plants installed here in Tripura, as there is some technical problems, said Dey.

Minister said that the department has already pushed the ONGC to take a stock of their technical problem in their gas supply soon and provide gas to the power plants to resolve the power crisis.