AGARTALA, May 22 (TIWN): On yet another historical momentum for the Tripura Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (ONGC) Asset, a successful Hydro-fracturing process has been carried recently at Khubal in Unakoti district by ONGC to know the actual gas reserve. Talking to TIWN on Friday ONGC Director Onshore V P Mahawar over telephone from Delhi said, “The gas reserve at Khubal has been found to be in a very good position after the ONGC successfully conducted hydro fracturing there.” First time in the history of state’s exploration drive, the ONGC Asset here in Tripura has successfully carried out hydro fracturing at Khubal ensuring sufficient gas reserve there under Unakoti District. Mahawar said that the ONGC have to now wait for some days to know the result of the hydro-fracturing process. With an aim to set up fertilizer manufacturing plant ONGC has also planned to carry hydro fracturing in some more areas at Khubal. “ONGC plans to undertake hydro-fracturing process in two more wells at Khubal to check the actual gas reserve,” adding Mahawar said, “If the gas reserve is good, then the fertilizer manufacturing plant would certainly gain ground”, he said. With 800 acres of land allotted to set up a Rs. 5000-crore Urea fertiliser plant at Khobal in Unakoti district of Tripura, ONGC is keeping eye to set up the project soon as it has already undertaken hydro fracturing at Khubal and it has been successful so far.

To develop the productivity, ONGC has brought most advanced  hydro-fracturing technology, used for breaking the sand layer deep inside the surface of the earth to facilitate better flow of gas, he said. The ONGC which started exploration in the state since 1972 has drilled 176 wells of which 82 are gas bearing wells.

The oil giant has already marked its foray into fertilizer segment by tying up with Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals (CFCL) for setting up a urea fertilizer plant at Khubal Both the companies have agreed to form a joint venture company in this regard, in which the Tripura government will hold 10 per cent stake. A memorandum of understanding has already been signed between the three parties in this regard.

It has been learnt that ONGC recently planned to undertake hydro-fracturing process in one well at Barmura to extract more gas. It is to be mentioned here Barmura Gas Thermal project is suffering due to scarcity of gas for the past few months. And, the ONGC has assured TSECL to supply more gas within next two months.

It is worthy to mention here that the Tripura unit of ONGC has intensified exploration to create a recoverable reserve of gas for at least 15 years. “We have intensified our exploration drive in Tripura to create a huge recoverable reserve of gas to continue the supply to the existing power plants in Tripura along with others coming up soon,” official said.

 The highest rate of success in exploration has convinced the authorities to make commitment to supply 36 lakh cubic meters of gas to 726-MW Palatana power project for 20 years and five lakh cubic metres to Monarchak power plant.