COMMENTARY
INTERVIEW
SPECIALS
CHAT
ARCHIVES

ONGC prospecting for LPG off Goa coast

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji

Following the discover of high-quality iron ore in the Goan forest, there is a growing belief that the Goan coast is possibly rich in terms of liquefied natural gas reserves.

The Oil and Natural Gas Commission has began drilling operations this month 30 nautical miles off Vasco coast in the Goa.

Covering around 2,830 square metres of area, oil is expected to be found after drilling around 800 to 900 metres deep. ONGC hopes to go as deep down to 2,000 metres if the operation is successful.

Sagar Darshan, an oil rig, has also stationed off Goa for drilling purposes while the staff of the south Goa-based ONGC Institute of Petroleum Safety and Environment Management is helping out in the operations.

"We will set up many more such projects off the Goa coast if we find liquefied natural gas here. It will be another feather in ONGC's cap," says ONGC Technical Director R C Gourth.

ONGC has oil fields in several countries including Bangladesh and Kazakhistan and produces 30 million tonnes of oil annually. Last year, it earned a profit of Rs 20 billion.

If ONGC succeeds in its operation, Gourth feels the local government should set up gas-based power generation plants instead of setting up the costly naphtha-based mini-power projects, which are managed privately.

The state government should immediately place a proposal before the Centre in this regard, says Gourth, as gas-based power generation plants are more viable economically with a better chance of success in a small states like Goa.