AGARTALA, Feb 23 (TIWN): After the board of state-run ONGC has approved an investment of Rs 5,050 crore in Tripura, it is expected that ONGC will be now able to pump in required amount of gas to the power plants to boost the power generation. The investment will be done for drilling of wells and creation of surface facilities to produce 5.1 million metric standard cubic metres per day (mmscmd) gas from the fields of Tripura. It is to be mentioned here that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has taken an initiative to develop the northeast region as a dominant hydrocarbon hub as part of its Hydrocarbon Vision 2030. The decision was taken after the board meeting held at New Delhi on February 1st. the ONGC management has put their first foot forward and approved the additional investment of Rs 3,104 crore for drilling of wells and creation of surface facilities to produce 5.1 mmscmd gas from Tripura fields for the development of the drilling of gas in the state and for its best utilisation. However, earlier in 2008, ONGC board had approved the investment of Rs 1,946 crore for drilling of wells and creation of surface facilities to produce 5.1 mmscmd gas from Tripura and total approved investment in Tripura will be Rs 5,050 crore.So far 11 gas fields are discovered by ONGC in Tripura and among these seven fields are on production. ONGC Tripura Asset is carrying out its drilling activities with three owned rigs under operation and well-servicing operations through two work-over rigs.

An additional four to five hired rigs are expected to be under operation in this year which will step up the exploration activities.

The sources said that once the Sonamura GGS is ready to supply gas, the supply of gas to the power plant can be done without any interruption. Once the sonamura GGS start providing all the facilities it will pump gas in full swing.

It is to be mentioned here that currently, ONGC is supplying .5 MMSCMD gas to Monarchak power plant through an alternative pipe line. Once the facilities of ONGC develop it will be able to pump on gas to both the unit of OTPC and Monarchak for commercial generation.

The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Tripura government and Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Service Limited (IL&FS) have jointly floated the ONGC-Tripura Power Company Limited (OTPC) to set up the combined cycle project.

ONGC owns significant quantities of natural gas reserves in Tripura. However, these reserves are not yet sufficiently commercially exploited due to the low industrial demand in the northeastern region.