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After drawing flak from the public in the Cauvery Delta for oil exploration and facing litigation in the National Green Tribunal, ONGC now wants to allay concerns.
AK Dwivedi, Director (Exploration), ONGC, said the company had been “caught unawares” by the protest in an “ONGC-friendly State.” The organisation will launch an awareness campaign in the area to educate the public.
“Better late than never,” he told media persons, while assuring that its prospecting in Thiruvarur District was only a preliminary seismic survey to look for oil reserves.
For over three decades now, it has been extracting crude oil and natural gas elsewhere in the Cauvery Basin without major issues.
He categorically stated that ONGC is not looking for coal bed methane or shale gas in the Cauvery Delta.
Coal Bed Methane prospecting gave rise to environmental concerns, particularly in the prime paddy-growing Thiruvarur and Thanjavur districts.
When Great Eastern Energy Corporation planned to start prospecting for CBM in 2011, there was a major public outcry leading to suspension of the project.
The State Government has appointed an expert committee to study the issue.
More recently, when ONGC started prospecting in Thiruvarur District, an activist and farmer leader PR Pandian appealed to the National Green Tribunal, which on August 5 granted an interim stay. It lifted the ban a week later on assurance from ONGC that it was not looking for CBM.
The issue is pending before the Tribunal.
Dwivedi said the Government of India does not have a shale gas policy, and ONGC, a central public sector unit, will not get into such projects without approvals. However, he acknowledged that the Petroleum Ministry has allowed ONGC to study the potential for shale gas.
Kuthalam area in Cauvery Basin is one of the locations for a preliminary investigation. But it is yet to get clearances.
He said ONGC had started extracting oil and gas in the Cauvery Basin in 1985 and it now produces 700 tonnes of crude oil and about 3.8 million cubic metres of natural gas.
ONGC contributed over ₹1,768 crore to the exchequer as taxes and royalty; the gas powers about 800 MW of electricity generation.
Activists are concerned that ONGC is expanding its area of prospecting in agricultural lands in the Delta districts.
The Kuthalam area, where it plans preliminary investigation for shale gas, is spread over 200 sq km, they say.
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