Tripura gas output drops as OTPC turbine fails

ONGC has slashed gas production in Tripura by nearly 1m cm/d over the past two months because of a faulty turbine at its power subsidiary ONGC Tripura Power Company (OTPC).

This report learns a rotor in one of the turbines of the 726.6 MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) power plant at Palatana developed a fault in October forcing a 200-MW drop in electricity generation and a corresponding drop in gas demand from one of the only major gas consumers in the state. When OTPC cut demand, gas production from the Tripura asset was hovering between 4.3m cm/d and 4.5m cm/d but has since dropped to 3.5m cm/d.

"There is a substantial reduction in production at over 100 producing wells," admits an ONGC source. "Worst affected is the Agartala Dome (PML) where most wells have seen major downward production; no wells have been plugged because that would have created other problems but some bean sizes were reduced from 11mm to 8mm to reduce gas flow."

Hopes are alive production can be restored by end-February when the rotor will be repaired. It took just over a week to be transported by rail to Ahmedabad in early January, leaving Tripura on December 29 and reaching its destination on January 6.

"General Electric will carry out repairs," confirms OTPC. "It will be transported back in the same way end-January and should reach Tripura by early February."