RIL-BP finds new gas in Cauvery basin

NEW DELHI: After the KrishnaGodavari basin, the Cauvery basin is the next prospect for oil and gas discoveries by domestic and global energy majors. Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and its global partner BP Plc on Friday announced their second deep-water gas discovery in a block (CY-DWN-201/2) in the Cauvery basin, off the country’s east coast.

While detailed appraisal studies are yet to be carried out on the exact quantum of discovery, those in the know said the discovery that lies 62 kilometres from the coast, is significant because the well has been flowing about 1 million standard cubic metres per day of gas since

THOSE IN THE KNOW SAID THE DISCOVERY IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THE WELL HAS BEEN FLOWING ABOUT 1 MN STANDARD CUBIC METRES PER DAY OF GAS

August 17 when the discovery was made.

The discovery has been named D-56. The Cauvery basin is located on the eastern flank of peninsular India in Tamil Nadu, along the Palk Strait and Coromandal coast. This is the second discovery RIL — which holds 70% interest in the block — has made in the block. In 2007, it made the Dhirubhai-35 (D-35) gas discovery. BP holds 30% stake in the block.

“Preliminary evaluation of well data and fluid samples indicated presence of gas condensate in the reservoir inter- val with a gross column of 143 metres,” the two companies said in a press statement.

According to the companies, the well flowed gas at the rate of 35.2 million standard cubic feet per day (1 mmscmd) with condensate (oil) at the rate of 413 barrels per day.

RIL had drilled the first discovery well D-35 in July 2007 and a subsequent well to appraise the find in September 2009. Three other wells on the block were dry. The block was won by RIL in the third round of the New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP).