RIL submits revised proposal for 2 gas discoveries in KG basin

Reliance Industries has submitted revised commerciality of two gas discoveries it had made in a deepsea block in Krishna Godavari basin off the east coast.

New Delhi: Reliance Industries has submitted revised commerciality of two gas discoveries it had made in a deepsea block in Krishna Godavari basin off the east coast.

"Revised proposal for the Declaration of Commerciality (DoC) for the Dhirubhai-39 and 41 natural gas discoveries" in block KG-DWN-2003/1 or KG-D3 was submitted to the government in April, RIL's junior partner Hardy Oil and Gas said in a statement.

RIL is the operator of the block with 60 percent interest, while BP Plc of UK holds 30 percent stake. Hardy has the remaining 10 percent.

To date, four consecutive gas discoveries -- Dhirubhai 39, 41, 44 and 52, have been made in the block but none has been so far put on production.

"The proposed development plan (to bring them on production) provides for a dry gas, sub-sea cluster development with the flexibility to add in additional zones and future area discoveries," Hardy said without giving any further details.

RIL plans to drill a fifth exploration well on the block in the first half of 2013, Hardy said. "The government of India's review of the D3 DOC proposal will likely continue into 2013."

D3 block sits in the same basin as RIL's flagging KG-D6 fields that have seen output lass thn half of about 29 million standard cubic meters per day in last two years.

Hardy said the joint venture has acquired approximately 3,250 square kilometers of 3D seismic data over the block that lies in water depths of 400 meters to 2,200 meters, and is located about 45 km offshore.

It said the government has approved commerciality (DoC) of Dhirubhai-33 gas discovery in a separate Gujarat-Saurashtra offshore block GS-OSN-2000/1.

The find had flowed 18.6 million standard cubic feet per day of gas with 415 barrels a day of condensate during testing.

"The joint venture is required to submit, to the government of India, a field development plan for the Dhirubhai 33 natural gas discovery by the end of the year," Hardy, who holds 10 percent in the block, said. RIL is operator of this block as well.

The block lies northwest of the prolific Bombay High oil field in water water depths varying between 80 meters and 150 meters. "The joint venture retained a 600 square kilometer area for development activities by relinquishing the balance area (of out total block size of 8,841 sq km)," it added.

PTI

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