SHILLONG, Oct 12: In a significant development that could potentially become a game changer in terms of revenue generation in the state, the research wing of Oil India Limited (OIL) has discovered natural gas in the state.
Mawsynram MLA, Himalaya Shangpliang said on Tuesday that last month, an OIL team had visited Umphniang village near Dangar in East Khasi Hills to collect samples of a reported gas seepage in the area.
The area of the seepage lies close to the Indo-Bangladesh border proximal to which the Chhatak gas field is located in the neighbouring country.
According to Shangpliang, preliminary laboratory analyses conducted at OIL’s Research & Development Centre at Duliajan, Assam, has indicated the gas to be of thermogenic origin (relating to or involving the production of heat) with high methane content.
Shangpliang said that scientists from OIL have stated that further study and analyses would be required prior to any exploration campaign to evaluate the commercial viability of the hydrocarbon presence in the area.
“The presence and nature of any further occurrences of similar seepages are being ascertained in the neighbouring areas,” Shangpliang said, adding that a team will conduct further study relating to the amount of gas reserve available in the area.
“They are also interested in the oil which is reported to have been found in areas of Telsora A & B and Umsohpieng villages. Another team is coming to visit these three to four villages to collect oil samples,” he said.
Independent Director of Oil India Limited, Gagann Jain said that the entire process of conducting the exercise was followed up after Shangpliang revealed the seepage in the Assembly earlier this year.
Jain also said that the area where the seepage is located lies near an erstwhile exploration block operated by Oil and Natural Gas Commission in the 1990s.
He maintained that the OIL team will have to conduct further studies and analyses to assess the commercial viability of the hydrocarbons.
