ONGC draws up ambitious plan

ONGC draws up ambitious plan

• B.V.S. BHASKAR

  However, frequent instances of leakage are a cause for concern

  Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has been facing certain problems in the operational areas of the Krishna-Godavari (KG Basin) from quite some time.
  Nevertheless, it has drawn up an action plan to produce 2.18 million metric tonne of oil and 6.46173 billion cubic metres of gas in the next five years from its onshore wells.
  The ONGC Rajahmundry Asset would be investing U.S. $ 750 million at Nagayalanka in Krishna district alone. It plans to invest Rs.760 crore on new Type III rigs for drilling, production, pipelines, and other surface facilities.
  Asset Manager and Executive Director of ONGC, Rajahmundry, Debasish Sanyal, says that the 707-km of pipeline network, spread over East and West Godavari, and Krishna districts, connects 260 active wells to the Gas Collecting Stations and Group Gathering Stations in the three districts.
  Though the oil major has fast-tracked work on laying new pipelines, frequent instances of leakage in some parts of East Godavari are a cause for worry both for the people in the vicinity and the ONGC.
  Eight such instances have been reported in the last three months, causing anguish among the villagers, particularly those in the Antarvedi and Sakhinetipalli areas of the Konaseema region.
  Mr. Sanyal says that the 4-inch diameter and 7.9 mm thick pipes have developed minor leaks only in the Mori area near Antarvedi in East Godavari district.
  “The company has taken a serious note of it,” says Mr. Sanyal, adding that the company has three well-trained teams to attend to pipeline leakages. This apart, it has a 24x7 toll-free helpline.
  It is learnt that the ONGC is facing problems in Right of Use (RoU) in the region to replace the pipelines.
  Landowners are paid compensation as per the government norms and they are bound by certain conditions. But ignoring the lease agreement terms, the landowners are said to be developing fish ponds and excavating sand and mud over the pipelines, which is rendering the pipelines weak.
  This apart, the two-crop farming activity allows little working window for the company to replace the pipelines.
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