Oil India Limited (OIL) has launched Airborne Gravity Gradiometry& Gravity Magnetics (AGG & GM) data for unapprised areas of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Dima Hasao, Arunachal Pradesh, Cauvery, Bastar, Satpura, Spiti-Zanskar and Karewa areas, according to a report by Guwahati based news portal (EM).
The reports said the acquisition of the AGG and GM survey started from Jorhat Air Base on May 27.
The Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas entrusted OIL with the responsibility of Acquisition Processing and Interpretation (API) of 40,000 flight LKM of AGG and GM data in these unapprised areas.
The second aircraft is scheduled to start acquisition from Dibrugarh airport to cover the North East.
The survey will also include Nagaland where Oil India Limited has been awarded the oil blocks. Changpang and Tssori areas, 75 oil wells have been drilled and oil extracted on trial basis till the operations were stopped in 1994. The rest of oil the belt covers areas within Mokokchung has a huge potential of estimated reserves. The other blocks include Dimapur, Peren and Mon districts where exploration is yet to be conducted.
Centre has awarded an oil exploration block in Nagaland to Oil India Ltd. OIL is seeking permission for Petroleum Exploration Licence (PEL) in order to invest in the State and ascertain hydrocarbon prospects and reserves within the awarded block. This would be only to explore and the activities would open up a colossal avenue for generation of employment to hundreds besides related commercial activities which would immensely benefit the local people. In total, Nagaland has potential estimate of around 600 MT of crude oil.
The initial step would be to obtain PEL or License to ‘explore.’ After confirming crude reserves, the next step would be to award Petroleum Mining Licence or license to ‘extract’ to drill oil wells for extraction. PEL and PML are two separate and distinct operations. Applying this distinction in the present context would make public understand the difference between exploration (survey) and extraction (mining). According to a 2022 estimate, Nagaland is losing Rs.1,825 cr annually in oil royalty because of the non-operation of more than 30 oil fields along the disputed border.
Airborne gravity gradiometry, magnetics survey by OIL
