The Tripura unit of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) has intensified exploration to create a recoverable reserve of gas for at least 15 years, a top official of the company said.
The unit supplies natural gas to 726 MW gas-fired thermal power project at Palatana in Gomati district.
“Now, we have intensified our exploration drive in Tripura to create a huge recoverable reserve of gas to continue the supply to the existing Palatana project and getting ready to charge gas to 100 MW gas-based thermal power project at Monarchak and urea fertiliser company at Khubal. The two plants would come up soon,” state Asset Manager of ONGC, V P Mahawar said.
The Monarchak plant in Sipahijala district would require gas from December this year and the urea fertiliser companies being set up at Khubal in North Tripura district would be operational by 2018.
The Monarchak project was set up by North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) and the urea project is a joint venture of ONGC, Chambal Fertiliser and the Tripura government.
The proposed 1.3 million metric tonne per annum (mmtpa) fertiliser manufacturing company would require 2.4 million metric standard cubic metres per day (mmscmd) hydro carbon per day to run the plant.
Mahawar said ONGC is going ahead with its target to enhance the gas production from 5.75 mmscmd to 6.35 mmscmd per day by the next financial year and create a reserve of 30 billion cubic metres.