GUWAHATI: Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday said Northeast would soon become a major global trading centre for export of petroleum products to the South East Asian countries.
“Under Act East Policy, Assam/NE will become an important centre of world trading as it will send petrol and diesel to Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh and the South East Asian countries,” he said here on Friday afternoon after dedicating eight projects worth Rs 1500 crore in petroleum and natural gas sector to the nation.
The eight projects Pradhan dedicated to the nation were : upgradation of pump stations of Naharkatiya-Barauni crude oil pipeline, Rs 273 crore greenfield rail-fed PoL storage terminal at Digboi, capacity augmentation of LPG bottling plant in Silchar, GGS Borhola to Jorhat CTF crude oil trunk pipeline replacement, capacity augmentation of LPG bottling plant in North Guwahati, effluent treatment plant-cum-water injection plant at Lakhmani, mounded LPG storage at Numaligarh Refinery and Swargadeo Chaolung Siu-Ka-Pha Multi Specialty Hospital in Assam’s Sivasagar.
He also announced the commencement of work of the Rs 104 crore KB Malaviya National Oil Museum at Guwahati. With five galleries, 3-D theatre, outdoor signs etc., it will showcase the rich history and heritage of the petroleum industry in India.
Pradhan said, “In 10-15 years, the four refineries of Assam will be able to meet the demand in North East. But we are still increasing the investment in the refineries to increase the capacity. Crude from Paradip will be brought here and then oil will be sent to Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar.”
“The NE states have natural resources and reserves. We need infrastructure to tap these,” he added, mentioning of the thrust on connectivity projects in NE.
ONGC investment: The ONGC will be increasing its investment in Assam by 30% over the next five years, ONGC CMD Shashi Shankar said here today.
“The ONGC is committed to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Assam over the next five years. This is an increase by 30% in the investment over the previous five years,” he said.
The CMD further said Rs 2350 crore has been pledged for revamping under Assam Renewal Projects of Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 and Rs 800 crore worth projects were already in different stages of implementation.
Giving a brief on ONGC’s operations in the state since 1960, Shankar said the PSU has hit oil in 38 places and its commutative production has been 90 MT from over 1700 wells.
It has provided direct employment to 5600 people and contributed Rs 1000 crore to the state’s exchequer last fiscal.
The ONGC is also part of the consortium of oil companies formed to lay a gas pipeline from Bihar to Assam, and further connect all North East capitals.