Page 19 - Plastics News August 2018

COMPANY NEWS

Essar may spend $1 billion to explore and produce shale gas in Bengal

ssar may spend $1 billion (Rs 6,900 crore) to explore programme, Bengal is expected to be connected with the
Eand produce shale gas in Bengal. Essar has a coal-bed rest of the country by a national gas grid by the end of
PHWKDQH &%0 JDVÀHOG LQ 5DQLJXQM ZKLFK SURGXFHV this year. Essar will link its existing CBM production to the
million standard cubic metres per day (mscmd) of gas. gas grid and raise production from Ranigunj to 1 mscmd
Initial estimates suggest the block may have resources from 0.5 mscmd. The company has capped the production
of 8 trillion cubic feet (tcf) and recoverable reserves of because of lack of demand. The pipeline has so far come
1.5tcf of shale gas. Unlike CBM, where it takes 2-3 years to Dhanbad in Jharkhand, about 100km from Durgapur.
before gas production can be ramped up, 80 per cent of Public sector GAIL plans to take the pipeline to Calcutta
the recoverable shale gas can be extracted within two and offer the piped gas to household and public transport,
years of production, allowing a quick payback period for apart from industry. The company is working on a detailed
exploration plan with the help of consultants which will
be submitted to the directorate general of hydrocarbons.
Estimates suggest 400 wells may be drilled to take out the
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This will be possible because of the new policy the Union process units (CDU-I, FCCU-I, DHDS, DHDS-SRU, CDU-II,
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of unconventional hydrocarbons,” Vilas Tawde, managing units are segregated in DCS-wise modules (Honeywell,
director & CEO of Essar Oil & Gas Exploration & Production, Tokugawa and ABB).
said. The extraction of shale gas requires fracturing of Each module consists
rock formation by water to release the natural gas trapped of a dedicated set
inside the rock. So, in shale gas production, water is a raw of hardware which
material.In contrast, CBM is produced by de-watering the represents its DCS.
bore holes that extract gas. Hence, water is a by-product Operator Training
of CBM which is a raw material for shale gas. Essar plans Simulator (OTS) is a
to tap this synergy between CBM and shale gas. Each well
could cost $2.5-3 million.Before Essar starts extracting facility which provides
shale, the company will need to modify the existing hands-on experience
production-sharing contract (PSC) with the government, to the DCS (board/
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Moreover, the company will need to acquire land to simulator used for training pilots.
drill the wells, a sensitive issue in a densely populated
state such as Bengal. The new policy, approved by The technology adopted for OTS with console emulation
the cabinet, will come as a boon to all hydrocarbon LV WKH ÀUVW RI LWV NLQG LQ ,QGLD ZLWK PRUH WKDQ
explorers. Under the existing regime of PSCs, contractors accuracy that gives a real look & feel of the original
are not allowed to explore CBM or other unconventional DCS, the inherent advantages of such a system being
hydrocarbons in already allotted licensed/leased areas. WKH ÁH[LELOLW\ HIÀFLHQF\ PDLQWDLQDELOLW\ DQG FRVW
Similarly, CBM contractors are not allowed to exploit any effectiveness.
other hydrocarbon except CBM. Under the Urja Ganga

19 August 2018 Plastics News