Reliance Starts CBM Production in India
Reliance Industries has commenced March 24 coalbed methane (CBM) production from its SP(West)–CBM–2001/1 block in the Sohagpur field in India's north-central state of Madhya Pradesh. The gas is currently being supplied for commissioning the Shahdol Phulpur Pipeline (SHPPL), it said April 21.
Production from the Sohagpur field will gradually ramp-up in the next 15-18 months, making Reliance one of the largest unconventional gas producers in India. The company was awarded the licence to explore the two adjacent CBM blocks SP(West) and SP(East), with an area of 995 km2 , by the Indian government in 2001.
Reliance Industries has drilled more than 200 wells connected to two gas gathering stations in the first phase of development. It expects to drill another 600-800 wells and develop associated infrastructure over the next phases of development. Reliance Gas Pipelines, a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance, laid a 302 km Shahdol Phulpur Gas Pipeline that connects Sohagpur CBM fields from Shahdol to HaziraVijaipur-Jagdishpur (HBJ) pipeline network of Gail India at Phulpur. With this new pipeline network these CBM gas fields are now connected with the Indian gas grid, Reliance stated.
Reliance Industries is now the third company in India after GEECL and Essar to produce CBM.
Shardul Sharma