RIL KG-basin to produce 80-mmscmd gas by December: Pandey

MUMBAI: Reliance Industries' eastern offshore KG basin will produce 80 mmscmd of gas before December this year, Petroleum Secretary R S Pandey on Thursday said.

"Gas production from RIL-D6 block will go up in phases. It will produce 80 million metric standard cubic metres per day (mmscmd) of gas before December," he told reporters here.

Mukesh Ambani-led RIL began gas production from its field in KG-basin in March this year. It currently produces a little over 15 mmscmd of gas, which it supplies to fuel-starved fertiliser and power firms.

RIL is expected to touch production of 40 mmscmd of gas in the April-June quarter of FY 2010, RIL President (Oil and Gas) P M S Prasad had earlier said.

Pandey said city gas distribution, the third sector which gets priority for KG-D6 gas after fertiliser and power firms, was allocated 5 mmscmd.

"They are not yet ready to receive 5 mmscmd of gas. They will be signing the contract for the supply of one mmscmd soon," Pandey said.

Cairn India, the local arm of UK-based Cairn Energy Plc, will start crude production from its Barmer field in Rajasthan by end-May, he said.