Cbm Output To Start By Year-End

Coal bed methane (CBM) production in the country was expected to start in West Bengal by the end of the year, Petroleum Minister Ram Naik said today.

He said the Raniganj South block was likely to start the production of 1.5 million standard cubic metres per day (mmscmd) of gas from the coal bed.

Commercial production of the gas would, however, begin only in 2005, he added. Naik was speaking at a roadshow to promote the second round of bidding for CBM blocks.

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) had spent about Rs 30 crore on the Jharia block and about Rs 4 crore on the Raniganj block.

While the Jharia block is expected to produce about 1 mmscmd of gas within the next two years, the Raniganj block is expected to produce about 2 mmscmd.

India will be the fourth country after the US, Australia and China to join the global league of CBM-producing nations. The country is expected to produce 10-12 mmscmd of gas by 2005-06.