Law should take its own course: Pradhan on RIL-ONGC row

The government is expected to take a decision on a penalty on RIL or an agreement between the companies only after a final report from the consultant

Minister of State for petroleum and natural gas, Dharmendra Pradhan said that any decision on the Reliance Industries Ltd and ONGC's ongoing dispute with regard to gas flow in the Krishna Godavari basin will be taken after consultants DeGolyer and MacNaughton submit the report.

"Let me see the report first. I am yet to receive the report. Both the companies had mutually agreed for a report so let it come. All I can say now is law should take its own course," he said while addressing the press while launching clean-green-smart Pune initiatives.

Pradhan, however, did not clarify when he is expected to get the report from DeGolyer and MacNaughton (D&M). The government is expected to take a decision on a penalty on RIL or an agreement between the companies only after a final report from D&M.

According to ONGC, RIL's D6-A5, D6-A9 and D6-A13 wells drilled close to the block boundary, thus draining gas from the G-4 field, while the D6-B8 well may be draining gas from DWN-D-1 field of KG-DWN-98/2 block. RIL has maintained it followed the production sharing contract and drilled all wells within its boundary.

The Delhi High Court had last month disposed of an ONGC petition, asking the company to wait for six months for the government to take action on the consultant's report.

D&M has hinted at connectivity between G-4 and KG-D6, but has so far not said anything on connectivity with KG-D5.

It is alleged that RIL had drawn 58.7 billion cubic metres of gas from the wells up to March 31, 2015, out of which 11.9 bcm may belong to ONGC. Migration of hydrocarbons is natural in connected fields, unless the parameters are monitored in production wells in the entire area.