Mahanadi basin may emerge as a hydrocarbon hub, says Dharmendra Pradhan

Pradhan launched the National Seismic Programme, which aims to undertake fresh appraisal in all sedimentary basins

The Mahanadi Basin in Odisha has the potential to emerge as a hub for hydrocarbon exploration and production activities in the entire East, said Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas, Dharmendra Pradhan. Pradhan on Wednesday launched the National Seismic Programme (NSP) at Taranga, a small village in Baleswar district. Mahanadi Basin has been chosen as the first location for the roll out of this nation-wide programme.

The NSP, being implemented with a government funding of Rs 5,000 crore, aims to undertake fresh appraisal in all sedimentary basins across the country, especially where no/scanty data is available, to have better understanding of the hydrocarbon potential of India.

Under this programme, ONGC and OIL have been entrusted to conduct 2D seismic Acquisition, Processing and Interpretation (API) across India. While ONGC has been assigned to carry out 2D seismic API of approx. 40,835 Line Kilo Meter (LKM) in onland part of 26 sedimentary basins in 18 states/ Union Territory including Odisha's Mahanadi basin, OIL has been assigned to carry out 2D seismic API of 7408 LKM in north eastern states of Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland.

The seismic API project using cutting edge modern technology is targeted to be completed by March, 2019. While high-resolution 2D seismic data acquisition in Mahanadi Basin area is scheduled from October 2016 to June 2018, the processing and interpretation of data are scheduled from July 2018 to December 2018.

The 2D seismic survey of unapprised area in Mahanadi Basin (onland) would establish potential of hydrocarbon resources in the state. In the Mahanadi Basin, Bhadrak-Jajpur area comprising about 2189 LKM and Chilika Lake area of about 341 LKM have been identified covering primarily Keonjhar, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Mayurbhanj, Puri, Khurda and Ganjam districts of Odisha.

Pradhan said, the outcome from the NSP would contribute to better understanding of the sub-surface with petroleum systems across wider geological ages to explore the hydrocarbon reserves in Odisha. The total investment for the seismic acquisition in the onland Mahanadi Basin is Rs.79.57 cr.

He expressed the confidence that once hydrocarbon potential of Odisha is established through these initiatives, it would lead to exploration and production (E&P) activities and attract significant investment to the sector in the State generating employment opportunity and bringing prosperity to the state.

Odisha minister for steel and mines, Prafulla Kumar Mallick, CMD of ONGC, Dinesh K Saraf and other senior officials of Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry were present on the occasion.