AGARTALA, June 23 (TIWN): The three giant gas reserves found in the Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary of southern Tripura during the year 2000 would be explored very soon after the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) Tripura Asset receive the environmental clearance which has hit the gas exploration for the past 15 years. However, talking to TIWN on Tuesday ONGC Director Onshore V P Mahawar said that soon the exploration at those wells would be carried. He said the agencies are fixed to undertake the gas exploration at those wells. “We are on the job, but have to move forward according to the procedure,” Mahawar adding, said that the ONGC had already taken up advance action towards the immediate drilling of those three wells at Trishna sanctuary.“We did not get the forest and environment clearance yet now due to cumbersome procedures," said Mahawar. Adding to that he said “It would take another short period of time as the Prime Minister level committee is already in agreement with the issue of the gas exploration at Trishna Sanctuary.”Mahawar said, “As per law and the apex court direction, no mining work can be done in the wildlife sanctuary without proper sanction, but it is to mention that the ONGC would not carry any kind of mining at the sanctuary in Trishna as this would damage the present ecological balance.”

Therefore the project work would be sanctioned as earliest as possible; once the Supreme Court of India orders positive to it.Briefing the procedure of getting the environmental clearance Mahawar said, “After the scrutiny the issue of the gas exploration at Trishna Sanctuary to get the environmental clearance it was send to the Chief Minister level committee here and later it was send to the PM level committee which is already in agreement with the work.” He added, “Then the issue would be taken up by the Supreme Court and after it passes the order of the environmental clearance we would be able to start the gas exploration.”

 “However, we are eyeing forward with a hope that we would get the EC very soon as earlier I mentioned we would not carry any mining at the area which would damage the current ecological balance.” 

Mahawar told to TIWN on Tuesday. He said, “We have already taken an advance action towards the gas exploration at Trishna Sanctuary Park. We have earlier found three wells there which would be drilled soon.”

Later asked about the plan in future once it receives the environmental clearance, Mahawar said that the ONGC will be able to get 5 lakh cubic metric ton of gas per day, once they receive the environmental clearance from the Supreme Court of India.

 “At present, our capacity to generate gas is 3.95 million standard cubic meter per day (MSCMD) and it would increase to 6.35 MSCMD in 2-3 years,” he added.

The Rs.10,000 crore 726 MW capacity combined cycle gas-based thermal power project (using both water and natural gas) at Palatana, 60 km from here, in southern Tripura is ONGC’s first commercial power project in India. The ONGC, in association with Rajasthan-based Chambal Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited and the Tripura government, would also set up a Rs.5, 000 crore fertilizer plant in northern Tripura.

However, it is worthy to mention here that the process is on in full swing to set up the fertilizer project and the ONGC had recently undertaken hydro-fracturing in Khubal to assess the actual reserves of the field and in Baramura to enhance production from tight sands. According to ONGC, the job involved intricate coordination to get domain experts, machine and chemicals from various regions of the country apart from understanding the reservoir characteristics and geology of the region.

Asset Manager VP Mahawar said the results of the post-activation jobs in these wells would provide a lead in assessing the reservoirs and way forward for the effective stimulation of these structures.