‘3 hydrocarbon projects sanctioned in T.N., Puducherry in 2019-20’

‘3 hydrocarbon projects sanctioned in T.N., Puducherry in 2019-20’

The Centre has awarded three hydrocarbon and petroleum exploration projects in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. and the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation during 2019-20, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan has said.

He disclosed this information while replying to DMK legislator Tiruchi N. Siva in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The latter had sought details on the number of hydrocarbon exploration projects cleared during 2018-2020 and the companies that had been granted clearances in Tamil Nadu. Mr. Pradhan said 81 Petroleum Exploration Licences (PELs) in 94 exploration blocks, covering an area of 1,36,790 sq km, had been awarded by the Central and State governments during the said period under the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) and the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP). Similarly, 18 Petroleum Mining Leases had been granted under Discovered Small Field Bid Round-II during 2018-19 and 2019-20, the Union Minister said.

Mr. Pradhan said three blocks, covering 2,337.43 sq km in six districts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, had been awarded to IOC and ONGC under OALP during 2019-20. It included PELs for a 143.97-sq km area of offshore exploration.

While IOC would execute a project on 474.2 sq km in Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur districts, ONGC would implement two projects across Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Karaikal, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts. Of the 2,337.43 sq km of permitted areas, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram account for 1,259.43 sq km. While the Centre had granted PELs for offshore areas, the same was yet to be granted by the Government of Tamil Nadu, Mr. Pradhan added.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/3-hydrocarbon-projects-sanctioned-in-tn-puducherry-in-2019-20/article31044192.ece

Share Button

Leave a Reply