Huge potential of KG block that BG left behind
BG must be regretting its decision to relinquish a 45% stake in eastern offshore exploration block KG-OSN-2004/1.
ONGC is so encouraged by eight discoveries it has made at this block that it wants to drill eight additional wells by April 30 next year (2015) to test the size of reserves. MC Das, an ONGC group general manager, forwarded a letter dated August 11 confirming environment ministry clearance for the proposed drilling programme to KG basin head G.
Karuppuswamy. In the letter Das confirms ONGC secured environmental clearance for the estimated Rs600cr ($100m) drilling programme on July 23 (2014).
Excitement at the prospectivity of this block extends to the highest reaches of government. On April 30 (2014) ONGC won unprecedented approval from a powerful Empowered Committee of Secretaries to delineate the six most significant gas discoveries at the block within a year, or by the end of this fiscal on April 30, 2015 - the new Phase-I completion deadline.
“We’re firming up our drilling plans,” confirms ONGC. “At some wells we’ll use a jack-up, at others a semisubmersible.
” ONGC wants to drill the wells, some of which are expected to encounter HP/HT formations, to depths from 1930 to 2699 metres TD targeting Mio-Pliocene era formations in water depths of 60 to 322 metres.
