Technology review from ONGC directors

October 4, 2008 AHMEDABAD -- Discovery of oil at 100 metre depth in at Ankleshwar has surprised Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), said ONGC Director Exploration D K Pandey.

Pandey was in the city to attend a function at the Institute of Reservoir Studies (IRS), a research and development centre of the corporation in Ahmedabad.

"Ankleshwar is going strong and we are positive about the production output from here. ONGC is considering an investment of Rs 1,500 crore in exploratory inputs, in the next five years in Gujarat," said Pandey.

"The on-shore field in Ankleshwar at such a shallow depth was discovered about six months ago and over 10 cubic metres of oil per day is being generated from here," said ONGC Ankleshwar Project Head A K Hazarika.

"ONGC top brass is considering a proposal to collaborate with a Norway-based Statoil Hydro company, for introduction of a special technique called the 'carbon capture and sequestation' (CCS) in Ankleshwar," Hazarika said. The technique popularly known as CO2 injection would help in enhancing the oil production from the field, he added.

Production from Gujarat accounts to about one fourth of the total output of ONGC estimated to be at 6.5 million tonne, Pandey said, adding that plans are afoot to develop the marginal fields of the state.

Regarding marginal field policy of ONGC, Pandey said, "out of the identified 165 marginal fields, 135 fields are commercially viable and about to be monetized, 22 fields have been isolated as reserves and are too small.

ONGC IRS Director R V Marathe said, "Introduction of bio-technology in Ahmedabad assets of ONGC where a specific bacteria is used to enhance oil production has helped in increasing the output from on-shore fields." "The microbial technology is being used in Kalol field of Ahmedabad asset of ONGC where 50 wells are located. An annual production of 60,000 barrels here can be attributed to introduction of this technology," said Marathe.

The technology is highly conducive for low temperature zones (up to 90 degree centigrade) and ONGC now plans to take it to Assam and Mehsana to ramp up the oil production, he added.

"The bacteria used in this technology helps in cleaning the oil and thereby improves its mobilisation," he said.

Meanwhile, the 'In-situ' combustion technology of IRS is drawing global attention. The premier institute is offering technological consultation to Venezuela and Oman, and is in talks with Sudan and Vietnam for offering technological expertise.

"The technology used to reduce viscosity of thick oil at levels up to 1,000 metre-depth can sustain 3,000 PSI pressure levels," says a scientist at IRS. "The technique helps in enhancing recovery of oil from five percent to 50 per cent," the scientist claims.

The Mehesana asset is estimated to have 50 per cent thick oil of the projected total three billion barrel oil reserves.

"A 12,000-14,000 barrel of oil production from here per day is being attributed to the usage of in-situ combustion technique," the scientists claimed.

(c) 2008 Asia Pulse Pty Limited.