Enthusiastic Mizoram endorses ONGC well plans

Vol 22, PW 20 (25 Jul 19) Exploration & Production

Brimming with confidence, ONGC held talks with new Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga on July 18 as it prepares to resume exploration in this tiny landlocked state of just 1.1m people wedged between Bangladesh and Myanmar.

An ONGC team led by basin manager Firoze Dotivala told Zoramthanga in the state capital Aizawl of its determination to begin civil works at AA-ONN-2001/2 after monsoon rains subside in October, pending DGH approval of a PEL extension. "He (Zoramthanga) was eager that work should begin," reports a source.

"And wanted to know what plans we have for Mizoram." Zoramthanga later tweeted: "I was called on today by ONGC regarding its ongoing oil and gas exploration.

Wishing them the best and hoping for a positive outcome!" ONGC's top priority at AA-ONN-2001/2 - one of only two NELP blocks in Mizoram - is to drill an appraisal well at location HOAD to test the promising Hartoki discovery (location HOAB) which tested 15,649 cm/d from a five-metre zone at 3287-3292 metres depth in 2011. ONGC has already identified a 1400-hp company-owned (E-1400-11) rig it wants to mobilise to the HOAD location (Coordinates: 240 09' 41.42" - 920 36' 13.31") and is counting on Mizoram state authorities for help in laying a 16-km approach road to the well site through rugged terrain and dense jungle.

"Land acquisition for HOAD (22 'bighas' or 7 acres) is in the final stages," adds a source. "Our priority is to drill HOAD."

Any hope work can begin at AA-ONN-2001/2 rests squarely with the DGH and when it grants another PEL extension. ONGC is supremely confident this will come within the next three months enabling it to begin civil works in October (2019) followed by drilling next year, sometime in the next fiscal beginning March 30, 2020. “We are trying to get a ‘special dispensation’ for the northeast with the DGH,” we hear. “Our problem is the DGH didn’t recognise the Hartoki well as a discovery because ONGC did not flow the well commercially.” He adds unless a discovery receives DGH approval it is not granted automatic PEL renewal for more appraisal wells but that this is set to change for AA-ONN-2001/2 under a new ‘policy’. ONGC’s original PEL for AA-ONN-2001/2 expired on April 7, 2013 and the DGH granted a two-year special extension until 2015 when work stopped. Last year ONGC appointed Hyderabad-based Vimta Labs to prepare a fresh (264-page) EIA report for the block, which was published on May 16, 2018. ONGC secured environmental clearance for locations HOAD and HOAC (drilled at a later date) on March 28, 2019.

Enthusiastic Mizoram endorses ONGC well plans

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