From Our Correspondent
AGARTALA: The ONGC will ensure gas supply to two major power projects — Palatana in South Tripura district and Manarchak in West Tripura district.
As per the schedule, the first phase of 726 MW power project will be operational by February next year though it was supposed to come up by end of this year while the NEEPCO envisaged 104 MW power project at Manarchak is scheduled to be operational by March 2013 next.
The ONGC is fully ready to supply 1.3 MMSCMD gas per day to Palatana power plant, said ONGC’s Asset Manager K Satyanarayana here on Monday.
“The laying of pipeline, construction of gas gathering and measures centres are about to complete”, he said.
As per the plan, the ONGC will supply gas to Palatana power project from 14 wells in phases so that it could run for 20/22 years.
Satyanarayana said that the ONGC would be fully prepared to supply 0.6 MMSCMD gas to Manarchak power project, which is scheduled to come off by March 2013.
Keeping in mind of the growing demands for natural gas, the ONGC has already kicked off Million six Mission to increase gas production. As part of the mission, the oil giant has set a target of exploring 41 wells during the year 2011-12.
“We are hopeful of achieving the target within the scheduled time”, he said.
However, the Asset Manager made it clear that the ONGC would not be position to supply gas for new project after meeting demand of Palatana and Manarchak power plants.
Claiming that the ONGC is not sitting idle to strike more discover, the Asset Manager said that natural gas reserved had also found at Khoubal in North Tripura district. “We are planning to explore more wells there near future”, he said.