Aizawl: Lone Rajya Sabha member from Mizoram Ronald Sapa Tlau has voiced concern over the slow progress of oil exploration in Mizoram, which falls under “proven commercial productivity zone”.
Speaking in the Upper House of Parliament yesterday, Tlau expressed his disappointment that out of eight selected places for Oil and Natural Gas Corporation drilling in Mizoram, work had commenced in only two sites ‘Zanlawn and Meidum’ in northern Mizoram.
“In Medum site, where drilling began in February 2011, oil amounting to 5,52,674 cu ft/day was found in January 2012. Four years have passed (since the discovery of oil) no mid-stream activity has been initiated even as the ministry and the ONGC are on a blame game entanglement,” the MP said and wondered if the petroleum ministry was aware of this. He mentioned that the ONGC exploration license expired on April 7, 2016. Of the six sites assigned to them, OIL has started drilling work in two sites’ Maubuang (July 7, 2014) and Keifang (December 12, 2015).
Emphasising the need to speed up oil exploration in Mizoram, the MP also pointed out that Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla has written to the minister of petroleum & natural gas many times but to no avail till date.
He also suggested that the drilling companies have to be given a close and constant attention due to the difficult terrain in Mizoram. Tlau said that under Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 aim was to double gas and oil production in the NE region and initiate “fast-track projects” in Mizoram without any further delay.
He urged the ministry to provide minimum of two drilling rigs to the companies, to include this among the New Exploration Licensing Policy round 10, and to immediately take mid-stream activity in Medium site.
The Rs 1,30,000-crore Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 aims clean fuel accessible, fast-track projects and generate employment opportunities.
Out of the Rs 1,30,000-crore plan, Rs 80,000 crore is for up-stream projects, Rs 20,000 crore for mid-stream projects and Rs 3,000 crore for down-stream projects.
The Hydrocarbon Vision 2030, unveiled by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradan on February 9, 2016, also aims to help the country’s energy economy, to explore its linkages and trade economies with the neighbouring countries, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan. (UNI)
