Hydrocarbons Deposit Found In Up

Oil India Ltd (OIL) has found presence of hydrocarbons in the first exploratory well drilled by it in Uttar Pradesh under its Ganga Valley Project. Geologists say it is too early to term it a commercial discovery, "but there are good indications of hydrocarbons in the region".

The well is being dug near Bilaspur in Rampur district of the state. Drilling was started in mid-September after OIL had interpreted the two-dimensional seismic data of the 8,800 sq km area. The well is expected to be completed by March.

Depending upon the results from the first well, OIL will drill another well about 12 km away to confirm the discovery. Only after that, the drilling of more wells will be taken up to demarcate the reservoir.

 

If this turns out to be a commercial discovery, it will be the first time for the land-locked state. The discovery can be a boon to some of the new refineries, especially the Allahabad refinery being planned by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), coming up in the state. The discovery can result in substantial reduction in the cost of the refinery since it would make any pipeline for bringing in crude redundant.

Minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Santosh Kumar Gangwar is scheduled to visit the site on December 12 and may also brief newsmen on the potential discovery. Gangwar's parliamentary constituency of Bareilly is situated close to the well site.

OIL officials are tight-lipped about the results from the well. Officials recall the way the initial promise of oil at the northern bank of Brahmaputra in Assam had failed to materialise.

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), had also undertaken exploration activities in the state some years ago but without much success.