Essar delay with Raniganj CBM production
Essar Energy is unlikely to meet its target to produce 3m cm/d of gas by end-2014 from its 500-sq km Raniganj East or RG (E)-CBM-2001/1 CBM block in West Bengal, say company sources.
Essar has drilled and completed 150 wells and is already producing up to 90,000 cm/d of gas. “Around 70 of the 150 wells are being de-watered,” says an Essar source.
“We have six drilling rigs and plan to add another 10. We want to drill at least 350 wells to produce 3m cm/d by end-2014.
” But another Essar source doubts it can achieve this ambitious goal because plans to mobilise more rigs have been hit by rains which will continue until September. “It’s been raining heavily,” we hear.
“Parts of the block are marshy making it difficult to mobilise rigs.” Even if Essar can drill 350 wells it might not produce 3m cm/d.
"The rule of thumb for production is you can produce only 5000 cm/d from each well," we hear. "After de-watering you can produce up to 7000 cm/d at a few wells but only for a short time.
Plateau production over eight to 10 years will not be more than 5000 cm/d from each well." This means Essar must drill 300 wells to produce 1.5m cm/d or 600 wells to produce 3m cm/d.
"Don’t forget wells must be continuously de-watered," he adds. "I doubt we can produce 3m cm/d by end-2014.
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