ONGC’s domestic gas production down 9% in July

Domestic production of natural gas fell 9 per cent in India in July, primarily due to lower production from offshore fields and static output from onshore fields operated by state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).

India produced 2.739 billion cubic metres of natural gas in July this year against 3.008 billion cubic meters produced in July last year, official figures released today showed.

According to ONGC, its natural gas production fell nearly 9 per cent, mainly because of the GAIL pipeline blast in Andhra Pradesh that hampered production and lower production from Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu due to lower offtake by consumers.

Also, ''High tidal waves leading to exposure of pipeline at landfall point (Hazira), resulted in gas supply being stopped from 11 July 2014 and restored on 18 July 2014. Nil offtake by GAIL since 5 July 2014 onwards due to pipeline health check-up jobs affected production in eastern offshore,'' ONGC clarified.

Crude oil production fell by one per cent in July. ONGC's production was almost flat but it was the fall in crude oil production from the offshore fields of private sector companies that led to an overall fall in output. During the month, crude oil production was 3.147 million tonnes, against 3.179 million tonnes in the same month last year.

Production was affected due to rough weather, FPSO offtake operation at NBP Field in the western offshore and problem in the incinerator-sour gas/oil processing unit of B-193. Leakage of HQ-HA and HSA-HRG sub-sea well fluid line resulting in closure of wells at HQ and HAS platform also affected production, ONGC stated.

In Gujarat area, ONGC said, frequent power failure and ageing of fields resulted in decline in reservoir pressure, which affected production. Increasing water cut, frequent power failure, bad weather conditions and ageing of fields resulting in decline in reservoir pressure also affected production, it added.

In Assam, ONGC said, oil production fell due to poor influx and frequent power failure that affected production.

Commercial production is yet to commence from the block CB-ONN-2002/1 and the field is still on test production. Wells are being optimised to increase production. Only one well is producing and other two wells have ceased due to water loading in Sanganpur field.

In offshore Panna-Mukta field, ONGC said, a total of 10 wells in D1, D3 and 3 wells in MA have ceased to flow due to water/sand ingression KG-DWN-98/3 field. Actual oil and gas production is lower than planned due to unplanned shutdown for 3 days as a result of SPM hose integrity followed by restrictions imposed by ONGC, Hazira for 5 days.

Falling domestic production also had an impact on refinery crude throughput, which fell 5.5 per cent in July to 18.093 million tonnres from 19.141 million tonnes in the same month last year. This, in turn, affected the total production of petroleum products from refineries, which fell 4 per cent to 17.615 million tonnes from 18.358 million tonnes in the same month last year.

However, crude throughput in IOC (Guwahati, Mathura and Barauni), BPCL (Kochi), HPCL (Mumbai and Visakh), NRL (Numaligarh) and ONGC (Tatipaka)  refineries have exceeded their planned target.

Crude throughput at IOC (Gujarat, Haldia, Digboi, Panipat and Bongaigaon), BPCL (Mumbai), CPCL (Manali and Narimanam), MRPL (Mangalore) BORL (Bina), HMEL (Bhatinda), EOL (Vadinar) and RIL (Jamnagar DTA and SEZ) refineries was less than their planned target.