ONGC's Bassein gas field achieves record production

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp's (ONGC) Bassein gas field off the Mumbai coast has achieved record production of 200 billion cubic metres (bcm) and is now being counted among the world's super giant fields.

The Bassein field, which was discovered in 1976 and put into production in September, 1988, producted 29 million standard cubic metres (mmscmd) per day on May 6 to take cumulative output since its inception to a record 200 bcm, a source said.

Proving every prediction wrong, Bassein has outlived the life of the field that was predicted at the time of its discovery and being put into production.

As per the initial predictions, the field was to achieve a peak gas production rate of 20 mmscmd and by 2010, it was envisaged to start declining after a cumulative production of 180 bcm.

"However, as a result of sound reservoir management practices and timely inputs in terms of wells, well-head platforms, process platforms, first and second stage compression facilities, the field has outperformed all the predictions," the source said.

The Bassein field contributes about 43% to ONGC's total gas production of 64 mmscmd.

The source said 45 bcm of gas reserves remain to be produced from Bassein field, which lies 80 km off the Mumbai coast. The field has in-place reserves of 11 trillion cubic feet and is ranked among the super giant fields of the world, which include the Pars field of Iran with 30 tcf of reserves, Ghavea of Saudi Arabia (33 tcf) and Marun field in Iran (40.1 tcf).

The 23-year old field was to see natural decline set in last year, but that has not just been arrested, there is an upward trend in output in recent years.

The average output from the field was 27.5 mmscmd in recent years, but this month, it is producing 29 mmscmd.

For more than two decades, Bassein gas has proved to be a lifeline for the Indian economy and served as the basic building block for the fertiliser, petrochemical and energy sectors.

Gas supplies from the field are the lifeline of nine power plants, seven fertiliser units, two refineries and two petrochemical plants.

ONGC's crown jewel Mumbai High fields were discovered in 1974. Two years later, the Panna and Bassein fields were discovered.